Ressler
A surname probably linked to a name for a reed, rush, or similar plant, though the old source material is too fragmentary to be certain.
The #7,497 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 69,506 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Ressler is most likely German in origin, but the excerpt provided is too noisy to support a firm derivation. The old source appears to place it near forms connected with words for a reed or rush, which would make it an occupational, locational, or descriptive surname built from a plant term. Because the evidence is incomplete, the exact root and original sense remain uncertain.
History
Ressler is found in German-speaking areas and later appears in the United States, where it has a modest but established presence. Like many German surnames, it may have been altered in spelling after immigration, and some bearers may also be related to similar surnames such as Rösler or Rießler. The available excerpt does not provide enough historical detail to say more confidently.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The name is close in spelling to several better-known German surnames, which is one reason old surname dictionaries sometimes blur them together.
From the historical record
“Resell. Re see, a rush. Ressler. Resele, a riddle. Retier. Ret, cheerful ; er, denoting personality. A cheer- ful person. Rhawn. Hrdn, Anglicised form would be rhcin, a whale.”
— Family Names from the Irish, Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Norman and Scotch