Wissler last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Wissler is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Wissler.

Meaning of Wissler

An occupational surname referring to a weaver or maker of woven fabrics.

Wissler, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Wissler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wissler in America

Wissler is the 25083rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wissler surname appeared 990 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Wissler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wissler to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 25083 25484 -1.59%
Count 990 911 8.31%
Proportion per 100k 0.34 0.34 0.00%

The history of the last name Wissler

The surname Wissler likely has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly in what is now Germany and Switzerland. Typically, surname origins in these areas date back to the Middle Ages, around the 12th to 14th centuries, a period during which surnames began to be commonly used for identification purposes.

The name Wissler may be derived from the Middle High German word "wischen," meaning to wipe or sweep, possibly referring to someone who performed this type of work. It could also be related to the Middle Low German word "Wisse," meaning "wise" or "knowledgeable," indicating that this could have originally been a nickname for a learned individual or a person reputed for their wisdom.

Earliest records of the Wissler surname can be traced to church registers, land deeds, and wills from the 16th and 17th centuries. One significant early mention is from a 1598 church record in the town of Neuenburg am Rhein, Germany, indicating the widespread presence of the name in the region.

Several notable individuals bearing the surname Wissler emerge from historical documents. Johann Wissler, born in 1619 and later recorded in 1675 in Zurich, was a landowner whose family records speak to the prominence of the name in Swiss territories. Another prominent figure was Hans Wissler, a 17th-century clockmaker from the Black Forest region, known for his innovative designs and craftsmanship.

In the realm of academics, Clark Wissler, born in 1870 and passing away in 1947, gained fame as an American anthropologist associated with Yale University, where his works on Native American tribes significantly contributed to the field of anthropology. His research on cultural anthropology remains influential.

Another early recorded individual is Georg Wissler, who appeared in a 1653 tax register in Bavaria, Germany, suggesting the name's association with rural and farming communities. He is recorded as having paid taxes on a substantial piece of agricultural land.

The Wissler name also appears in later noble registries. Karl Wissler, born in 1821 and listed in various Germanic Nobility Documents by 1894, was a physician who contributed to public health initiatives. His medical practices and writings were well-recognized within his community.

In summary, the surname Wissler bears historical significance within German-speaking regions, reflecting a rich heritage associated with labor, wisdom, and notable contributions in various fields spanning several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wissler

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Wissler.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Wissler was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.66% 947
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.61% 6
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.22% 22
Hispanic Origin 1.41% 14

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Wissler has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 95.66% 96.82% -1.21%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.61% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races 2.22% 1.32% 50.85%
Hispanic 1.41% 1.32% 6.59%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Wissler was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Wissler, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Wissler last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/wissler-surname-popularity/.

"Wissler last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/wissler-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Wissler last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/wissler-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.