Whisler History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Whisler family

The surname Whisler was first found in Somerset where Osbert le Wistler was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1243. 1

"This surname is derived from a nickname. 'the whistler,' one who was constantly whistling. The sobriquet would readily fasten itself upon the bearer, and as it denoted a cheery spirit would not be unacceptable to the nominee." 2 3

Alternatively, some sources note that the name could have been an occupational name for someone who "blew a pipe." 4 5

Continuing our quest through early English rolls, we note that Thomas le Whistlar was listed in Somerset, 9 Edward II (during the ninth year of King Edward II's reign) 6 and the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 includes Johannes Whisteler as holding lands there at that time. 2

Early History of the Whisler family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whisler research. Another 210 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1607, 1608, 1619, 1626, 1648, 1652, 1653, 1654, 1659, 1674, 1678, 1682, 1683, 1684 and 1800 are included under the topic Early Whisler History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whisler Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Whistler, Whissler, Whistle, Whissle, Wissell, Wisseller, Wisseler, Whistle, Wisle, Wissel, Wisel, Wissell, Whisseller, Whissel, Wistlecraft and many more.

Early Notables of the Whisler family

Distinguished members of the family include Daniel Whistler (1619-1684), an English physician of Elvington, Oxfordshire, Gresham Professor of Geometry (1648), President of the College of Physicians (1683.) He was the son of William Whistler of Elvington, Oxfordshire, and was born at Walthamstow in Essex. "On 13 June 1648 he was elected professor of geometry at Gresham College, and was at the same time Linacre reader at Oxford. He took care of wounded seamen in the Dutch war of 1652, and in October 1653 was desired to accompany...
Another 87 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Whisler Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whisler Ranking

In the United States, the name Whisler is the 9,611^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 7

Whisler migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Whisler Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas H Whisler, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1849 8

Whisler Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Verna Whisler, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States, in 1910
Howard Frank Whisler, aged 26, who immigrated to America, in 1912
Jacke Whisler, aged 38, who immigrated to Marion, Indiana, in 1916

Contemporary Notables of the name Whisler (post 1700) +

Wesley Guy Whisler (b. 1983), American Major League Baseball pitcher
Private William Whisler, United States Army Signal Corps, eponym of Mount Whisler and Whisler Island, Nunavut, Canada

Historic Events for the Whisler family +

USS Arizona

Mr. Gilbert Henry Whisler, American Private First Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 9

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html