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

Ehlers, 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 Ehlers surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ehlers in America

Ehlers is the 4714th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ehlers surname appeared 7,524 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 Ehlers.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ehlers 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 Ehlers

The surname Ehlers originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "ehir," which means "honor" or "dignity." The name likely referred to someone who held a respected position or was considered an honorable person within their community.

The earliest known record of the Ehlers name dates back to the 13th century in the region of Lower Saxony, where it was commonly found in various towns and villages. Some of the earliest recorded spellings include Ehlers, Ehler, and Eler.

In the 14th century, the name Ehlers appeared in several historical documents, such as tax records and land deeds, indicating that the family had established itself as landowners and prominent citizens in their respective towns.

One notable figure bearing the Ehlers name was Johann Ehlers, a German theologian and philosopher who lived from 1583 to 1654. He was a respected scholar and author, known for his works on ethics and moral philosophy.

Another significant individual was Friedrich Ehlers, a German architect born in 1788, who was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Berlin and other cities during the early 19th century.

In the late 19th century, the Ehlers family produced several influential figures in the fields of science and medicine. Carl Ehlers, born in 1835, was a renowned zoologist and marine biologist who made significant contributions to the study of polychaete worms.

Another notable Ehlers was Gustav Ehlers, a German neurologist born in 1864, who conducted groundbreaking research on the nervous system and neurological disorders.

The Ehlers name can also be found in various place names throughout Germany, such as Ehlersdorf, a small village in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, and Ehlersberg, a hill located near the city of Marburg.

While the Ehlers surname has spread worldwide due to emigration, it remains most prevalent in Germany and neighboring regions, where it has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ehlers

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

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

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

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