Visser
A Dutch and Frisian occupational surname meaning “fisherman.”
The #6,490 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 59,022 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Visser is the Dutch word for a fisherman, from vis meaning “fish” plus the agent suffix -er, “one who does.” It is therefore a straightforward occupational surname, originally applied to someone who caught or sold fish. Related forms in the same family include Visscher, De Visser, Visker, and the Frisian Fisser.
History
This is one of the commonest occupational surnames in the Netherlands and also appears in Frisian areas, especially in coastal and water-rich regions. Historical references note its frequency in the Netherlands and East Frisia, where fishing was an important livelihood. The name spread beyond Dutch-speaking areas through migration, including to the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century writers singled out Visser as one of the most common Dutch surnames, especially in fishing communities.
From the historical record
“Vizard, Vizer. Fr. Visart, Viseur ; Dch. Visser ; p.n. (a vizard or vizor; a mask for the face, attached to a helmet) Voisey. Fr. Voisin; a p.n. (neigh¬ bour)”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (2nd ed.)