Surname Elser - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'E'
Elser: What does the surname Elser mean?
The last name Elser is of German origin, and is derived from the personal name Elser. It is an occupational surname, meaning someone who operated a type of mill known as an 'Elsche' in medieval Germany.
Elser is categorized as an occupational surname, since its derivation from an occupation points to one of the earliest forms of hereditary surname. This type of surname was adopted to identify those who belonged to a particular craft or profession. Over time, it began to serve as an identifier for individuals and also as a marker of kinship.
Elser is derived from the word elscher, which originally meant "miller." This was a very important medieval occupation, with many important social and economic implications. It also entailed an element of risk since mills were prone to fire and flood.
Today, Elser is a fairly common last name in the German-speaking area. It is also found among immigrants from Germany and other European countries in other parts of the world. It has retained its occupational connotations, however, and is still used to identify those associated with the milling industry.
Order DNA origin analysisElser: Where does the name Elser come from?
The last name Elser is most commonly found in the United States, particularly in the midwestern states of Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. It is also a relatively common last name in Germany and Austria.
In the United States, the surname Elser is most commonly found as an Americanized version of the German surname "Elser". The name is derived from the German word for "eagle" or "Erle".
The earliest recorded mention of the the Elser family in Germany dates back to the 12th century and is found in the book "Geschichte der Historische Schreibkunst des Elser-Geschlechts" ("History of the Historical Writing of the Elser Family"). The family is recorded as living in the small town of Wennenmen in the southern region of Germany.
In the United States, the Elsers are recorded in the late 1800s in the Ohio counties of Preble, Butler, Darke, and Montgomery. The surname is most commonly found in the state of Michigan, with records in the state dating back to 1880.
In modern-day Germany, the Elser surname is common in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Saxony. Records from the 1800s show the family being concentrated in the Tyrol region, and the Elser family is still relatively common there today.
The last name Elser is also found in many other countries around the world, particularly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
Variations of the surname Elser
The surname Elser has many variants, spelling and surnames of the same origin. These include Elsher, Elzzer, Ellzer, Elzer, Alser, and Elsar. In German, the “Els” suffix translates to “of the alder tree,” which indicates that the originator of this surname may have lived in an area surrounded by alder trees.
The surname Elser is also closely related to variant spellings based on the same root word. These include Elsar, Elscar, Alsar, Elsser, Elscher, Ellsser, Elssar, Elzer, and Ellzer. Many of these spellings are derived from early German dialects where certain consonants and vowels were often dropped from words, leading to varied pronunciations.
In the United States, the surnames Elsar, Elscar, and Elsser appear to have been especially common among the Union Army soldiers in the Civil War. This means that many families living in the United States today may be direct descendants of these soldiers. In addition, the British variant of the name – Elzzer – appears to be a much more common surname in the United Kingdom compared to other variants.
The Elser surname is also closely related to a number of other surnames. These include Elfer, Elffer, Elfar, Elffar, and Elliffer. All of these surnames are derived from the same German root and have the same meaning.
In conclusion, the Elser surname has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These different surnames indicate that the originator of this surname may have been from a German-speaking region and that many families in the United States today may be direct descendants of Union Army soldiers from the Civil War.
Famous people with the name Elser
- Karl Elser: Karl Elser was a German nationalist who unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1939.
- Henry Elser: Henry Elser, known as "Hank" Elser, is a retired American ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League from 1965 to 1975.
- Richard Elser: Richard Elser was an American politician who served as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1949 to January 3, 1953.
- Jon Elser: Jon Elser is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Johnny Angel".
- Amanda Elser: Amanda Elser is an American country music singer and songwriter.
- Joe Elser: Joe Elser is a former American football player and coach.
- Raúl Elser: Raúl Elser is an Argentine retired footballer who played mainly as a left winger.
- Sarah Elser: Sarah Elser is an athletic trainer and physical therapist for the United States Women's National Soccer Team since 2018.
- Mathias Elser: Mathias Elser is a Swiss photographer, filmmaker, and travel writer.
- Jennifer Elser: Jennifer Elser is a Canadian journalist and television anchor.