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

Earnhardt, 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 Earnhardt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Earnhardt in America

Earnhardt is the 18098th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Earnhardt surname appeared 1,539 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Earnhardt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Earnhardt 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 Earnhardt

The surname Earnhardt originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically in the area that is now modern-day Germany. It first appeared in the late Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Old German words "arn," meaning eagle, and "hart," meaning hard or brave, suggesting a connection to strength, courage, or a family crest featuring an eagle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Earnhardt can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval German charters and legal documents from the 12th to the 15th centuries. The name is also mentioned in the Deutsches Familiennamen-Buch, a comprehensive dictionary of German surnames published in the late 19th century.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Johann Earnhardt (1525-1592) was a prominent Protestant theologian and author who played a key role in the Reformation. His writings and sermons were influential in shaping the religious landscape of the time.

A century later, in the 1600s, the Earnhardt surname appeared in the records of several German principalities, including those of Saxony and Bavaria. During this period, a man named Hans Earnhardt (1642-1712) gained recognition as a skilled clockmaker, contributing to the development of timekeeping technology.

As the centuries passed, the Earnhardt name spread across various regions of Germany, and some members of the family migrated to other parts of Europe and beyond. One such individual was Karl Earnhardt (1789-1862), a German-born artist who settled in England and became known for his landscape paintings.

In the 19th century, the Earnhardt name gained prominence in the United States, particularly in the southern states. One notable figure was William Earnhardt (1823-1898), a farmer and entrepreneur from North Carolina who played a significant role in the development of the local agricultural industry.

While the name Earnhardt is not among the most common surnames globally, it has a rich history deeply rooted in Germanic culture and has been carried by individuals who have made notable contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Earnhardt

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

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 Earnhardt 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 Earnhardt 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 Earnhardt was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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