Find out how popular the last name Earnest is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Earnest.

Earnest, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Earnest surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Earnest in America

Earnest is the 4452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Earnest surname appeared 7,968 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Earnest.

We can also compare 2010 data for Earnest to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Earnest

The surname Earnest is derived from the Old French word "erneste", which means "serious" or "resolute". It is believed to have originated in France during the Middle Ages, possibly as a nickname given to someone who displayed these qualities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Ernestus", referring to a landowner in Hertfordshire.

In the 12th century, the name Earnest appears in the records of the Knights Templar, a Catholic military order during the Crusades. A Knight named Ernestus de Montfort is mentioned in a document from 1167, suggesting the name's association with nobility and military service.

During the 13th century, the name Earnest began to spread across Europe, appearing in various forms such as "Ernestus", "Ernesti", and "Ernestus". In Germany, the name was often associated with the ruling families of several principalities, including the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

One notable figure with the surname Earnest was Sir William Earnest (1508-1573), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Earnest family established itself in the American colonies, with records showing John Earnest, born in 1635, as one of the earliest settlers in Virginia.

Another prominent individual was Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1629-1698), who served as the Prince-Elector of Hanover and was a prominent figure in the Holy Roman Empire.

During the 18th century, the name Earnest continued to be associated with nobility and military service. One notable figure was Ernst Gideon von Laudon (1717-1790), an Austrian field marshal who played a significant role in the Seven Years' War.

In the 19th century, the name Earnest became more widely adopted across various social classes. One notable bearer was Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922), the famous British explorer who led several expeditions to Antarctica.

Throughout its history, the surname Earnest has been associated with qualities of seriousness, determination, and resolve, reflecting its Old French origins as a descriptor of one's character.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Earnest

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Earnest.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Earnest was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Earnest has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Earnest was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Earnest, please contact us.

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