Slusher
An English surname likely formed from a nickname or occupational label connected with “slushing” or slushy, muddy work.
The #6,727 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 61,577 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Slusher is most likely built on the English word slush, meaning wet mud, slush, or a sloppy mixture, with the agentive suffix -er. In that reading, it would originally have referred to someone associated with slush or muddy work, or perhaps someone known for a slushy, untidy condition. The exact motivation is not certain, and nineteenth-century surname writers did not consistently explain it.
History
The name is a relatively uncommon American surname today, with a noticeable presence in the United States. Historical surname dictionaries list it among English-type -er surnames, but the available evidence does not show a single well-established medieval origin story. Its modern distribution may reflect later British or possibly Germanic-influenced American family lines, but the surname itself is best treated as English in form.
Origin
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Fun fact
It fits a whole family of English surnames ending in -er that began as nicknames for a person tied to a habit, trade, or characteristic.
From the historical record
“Sliver, Startler, Stripper, Slumper, Scouter, Spyer, Shamer, Striver, Struggler, Slider, Sloper, Searcher, Sender, Spender, Saver, Sizler, Slusher, Sprawler, Sparer, Spooler, Stiller, Seizer, Scummer, Scorer, Smearer, Spitter, Spiller, Sharer, Slanter, Swinger, Smelter, Smacker, Sticker, Stifler Sorter, Staver…”
— A Grammar of American Surnames