Stiffler
A likely German surname built from a nickname or occupational form, probably referring to someone connected with stiff, rigid, or hard material or behavior.
The #8,091 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 75,341 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Stiffler is most likely a German surname, probably formed from the adjective or nickname sense of German stiff, meaning rigid, hard, or severe, with the -ler ending often used in German surnames to make an agentive or descriptive form. In some cases, surnames like this can also arise from place-based or occupational nicknames tied to a person’s manner, trade, or local dialect. Because the name is not well documented in standard surname references in the material provided, its exact origin is best treated as uncertain rather than fixed.
History
The surname appears in North American records through German-speaking immigration, especially from the 18th and 19th centuries. In the United States it is most strongly associated with Pennsylvania German and other German-descended communities. Modern bearers are concentrated in the U.S., where the name remains relatively uncommon.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The spelling Stifler is often seen as a simplified American variant of Stiffler in records and family lines.