NameCensus.

UK surname

Kessler

A German occupational surname referring to a maker of copper cooking vessels or cauldrons.

In the 1881 census there were 36 people recorded with the Kessler surname, ranking it #28,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 294, ranked #14,953, up from #28,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Skipton, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet, Camden and Enfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kessler is 327 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 716.7%.

1881 census count

36

Ranked #28,559

Modern count

294

2016, ranked #14,953

Peak year

2010

327 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kessler had 36 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 294 in 2016, ranked #14,953.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 144 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Kessler surname distribution map

The map shows where the Kessler surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Kessler surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kessler over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 9 #31,675
1861 historical 19 #31,470
1881 historical 36 #28,559
1891 historical 47 #30,566
1901 historical 112 #21,382
1911 historical 144 #18,325
1997 modern 298 #13,593
1998 modern 311 #13,550
1999 modern 305 #13,808
2000 modern 293 #14,141
2001 modern 270 #14,734
2002 modern 270 #15,010
2003 modern 264 #15,071
2004 modern 262 #15,233
2005 modern 270 #14,822
2006 modern 280 #14,535
2007 modern 292 #14,313
2008 modern 294 #14,327
2009 modern 311 #14,069
2010 modern 327 #13,889
2011 modern 323 #13,868
2012 modern 299 #14,537
2013 modern 303 #14,651
2014 modern 290 #15,203
2015 modern 291 #15,078
2016 modern 294 #14,953

Geography

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Where Kesslers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Skipton, London parishes, Manchester, Brighton and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnet, Camden, Enfield and East Hertfordshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Skipton Yorkshire, West Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Brighton Sussex
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnet 037 Barnet
2 Barnet 033 Barnet
3 Camden 005 Camden
4 Enfield 010 Enfield
5 East Hertfordshire 018 East Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kessler

These lists show first names that appear often with the Kessler surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kessler

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kessler, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Kessler surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Kessler household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Kessler is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kessler is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kessler falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kessler is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Kessler, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kessler

The surname Kessler originated in Germany and is derived from the Middle High German word "Kessel," which means "kettle" or "cauldron." This name was likely first adopted as an occupational name for a maker or seller of kettles and cauldrons.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Kessler can be traced back to the late 13th century in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. Historical records from this period, such as tax rolls and guild registries, often list individuals with the surname Kessler or similar spellings like Kesseler or Kesselmann.

One of the earliest known references to the name Kessler is found in a document from the Cistercian monastery in Eberbach, Germany, dated 1297, which mentions a certain Heinricus Kesselere. Another early record is from the city of Ulm in 1324, where a family named Kessler is listed among the local citizens.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, the name Kessler began to spread beyond Germany, with people bearing this surname appearing in records from neighboring regions, including Switzerland, Austria, and the Netherlands. Some notable individuals from this period include Johann Kessler (1502-1574), a Swiss Protestant reformer and theologian, and Hans Kessler (c. 1400-1466), a German sculptor and woodcarver known for his work in the Ulm Minster.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Kessler surname continued to be prominent in various parts of Central Europe. One notable figure from this period was Andreas Kessler (1595-1640), a German painter and engraver from Nuremberg. Another was Johann Kessler (1616-1692), a German jurist and professor of law at the University of Strasbourg.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, as migration patterns increased, the Kessler surname began to spread more widely across Europe and eventually to other parts of the world, including North America. Some notable individuals from this period include Johann Kessler (1777-1854), a German-born American teacher and author, and Johann Kessler (1820-1892), a German-born American painter and lithographer.

Other notable individuals with the surname Kessler throughout history include Harry Kessler (1868-1937), a German writer, art patron, and diplomat; Gerhard Kessler (1915-2006), a German-born American chemist and inventor; and Lew Kessler (1927-2021), an American documentary filmmaker and film distributor.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kessler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kessler surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 11 Kesslers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.64x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 11 2.64x
Middlesex 7 1.99x
Kent 5 4.17x
Sussex 5 8.45x
Yorkshire 4 1.15x
Durham 1 0.96x
Lanarkshire 1 0.88x
Somerset 1 1.77x
Surrey 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rusholme in Lancashire leads with 10 Kesslers recorded in 1881 and an index of 900.90x.

Place Total Index
Rusholme 10 900.90x
Brighton 5 41.88x
Skipton 4 363.64x
Lee 2 114.94x
Mile End Old Town London 2 26.77x
Barony 1 3.48x
Bow London 1 22.37x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 15.11x
Erith 1 84.75x
Greenwich 1 17.89x
Islington London 1 2.94x
Lambeth 1 3.27x
Lewisham 1 15.65x
Paddington London 1 7.75x
Poplar London 1 15.08x
St Marylebone London 1 5.33x
Stranton 1 28.41x
Walcot 1 33.22x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kessler surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kessler surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Phillip 2
Albert 1
Alford 1
Carl 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Fredinal 1
George 1
Infant 1
Joh. 1
Philip 1
Phillipa 1
R. 1
Wilhelm 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kessler households.

FAQ

Kessler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kessler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 36 people were recorded with the Kessler surname. That placed it at #28,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kessler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 294 in 2016. That gives Kessler a modern rank of #14,953.

What does the Kessler surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to a maker of copper cooking vessels or cauldrons.

What does the Kessler map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kessler bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.