Explore the Family Name Esler

The meaning of Esler

German: nickname or occupational name for someone who drove donkeys, from Middle High German esel ‘donkey’ + the agent suffix -er. This surname is very rare in Germany; it is more common in Northern Ireland (in Ulster, particularly County Antrim). History: This surname apparently first arrived in Ireland in the 17th century, brought by Protestant refugees from Catholic states in Germany.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Esler in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the Esler surname has seen a decline from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked at 24,969, but by 2010, it fell to 27,974, marking a decrease of 12.03%. The count of individuals carrying this surname also shrank from 934 in the year 2000 to 857 in 2010, marking an 8.24% drop. Consequently, the proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 decreased by 17.14%, from 0.35 to 0.29.

20002010Change
Rank#24,969#27,974-12.03%
Count934857-8.24%
Proportion per 100k0.350.29-17.14%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Esler

The Decennial U.S. Census data on the ethnicity associated with the Esler surname revealed interesting changes between 2000 and 2010. While the majority of the Eslers identified as White (95.61% in 2000 and 95.45% in 2010), there was a noticeable growth in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, increasing from 0.54% to 0.93%. A slight increase was also observed among those identifying with two or more races, rising from 0.96% to 1.05%. Meanwhile, the percentage of Eslers identifying as Hispanic rose marginally from 1.93% to 1.98%. There were no Eslers who identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native during either census year.

20002010Change
White95.61%95.45%-0.17%
Hispanic1.93%1.98%2.59%
Two or More Races0.96%1.05%9.37%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.54%0.93%72.22%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%