Explore the Family Name Elsner
The meaning of Elsner
German: 1. northern topographic name for someone who lived near alders, from Low German else ‘alder’. It may also be a habitational name for someone from a place called with this word. In Silesia it has the same meaning, but is of ultimate Slavic origin. This surname is also found elsewhere in Central Europe, e.g. in Czechia and Slovenia, where it may (also) be a translation into German of corresponding Slavic surnames. 2. metronymic from the personal name Else, a short form of Elisabeth (see Elizabeth). Some characteristic forenames: German Wolfgang, Alfons, Dieter, Egon, Ernst, Erwin, Eward, Hans, Heinz, Lutz, Manfred.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Elsner in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Elsner has seen a decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Elsner was ranked as the 12,017th most common name in the United States, but by 2010, it had dropped to 14,734th place, a decrease of 22.61%. The actual count of individuals bearing this surname also decreased from 2,385 in 2000 to 2,017 in 2010, a reduction of 15.43%. Similarly, the proportion of people with this last name per 100,000 residents declined by 22.73% over this decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,017 | #14,734 | -22.61% |
| Count | 2,385 | 2,017 | -15.43% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.88 | 0.68 | -22.73% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Elsner
On the topic of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals interesting shifts among those with the Elsner surname between 2000 and 2010. The percentage identifying as White dipped slightly from 97.53% to 95.54%, a change of just over 2%. Meanwhile, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased from 0.38% to 0.69%. There was also a significant increase in the number of Elsners identifying as Hispanic, jumping from 0.75% in 2000 to 2.63% in 2010, a remarkable 250.67% increase. The figure for those reporting two or more races saw a drop, from 1.17% to 0.79%. The counts for Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native remained at zero, indicating no Elsners identified with these categories in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.53% | 95.54% | -2.04% |
| Hispanic | 0.75% | 2.63% | 250.67% |
| Two or More Races | 1.17% | 0.79% | -32.48% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.38% | 0.69% | 81.58% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |