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

Ehrens, 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 Ehrens surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ehrens in America

Ehrens is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ehrens surname appeared 115 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Ehrens.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ehrens 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 Ehrens

The surname EHRENS is of German origin, emerging in the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the German word "ehren," meaning "to honor" or "to esteem." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to individuals who held positions of respect or carried out duties of honor within their communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the EHRENS surname can be traced back to the town of Köln (Cologne) in the Rhineland region of Germany. In a local church record from 1597, a certain Hans EHRENS is mentioned as a witness to a baptism ceremony. This provides evidence of the name's existence during the late Renaissance period.

In the 17th century, the name appears to have spread across various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony. Several EHRENS families are documented in town records and tax registers from this era, indicating their establishment as landowners or craftsmen.

The EHRENS surname is also found in historical records related to the German military. Johann EHRENS, born in 1732 in Nuremberg, served as a soldier in the Prussian Army during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). His bravery and loyalty earned him commendations from his superiors.

As the EHRENS name became more widespread, it evolved into various spellings and variations. In some regions of Germany, it was recorded as "Ehrens," "Erens," or "Ehrens." These differences often reflected local dialects and orthographic preferences.

One notable individual bearing the EHRENS surname was Karl EHRENS (1813-1892), a German philosopher and writer. Born in Mannheim, he authored several influential works on ethics and social philosophy, including "Die Ethik des Willens" (The Ethics of Will) published in 1874.

Another prominent figure was Margarethe EHRENS (1878-1968), a German artist known for her vibrant landscape paintings and etchings. She studied at the prestigious Prussian Academy of Arts in Berlin and exhibited her works across Europe during the early 20th century.

In the realm of politics, Friedrich EHRENS (1901-1979) gained recognition as a member of the German Bundestag (federal parliament) from 1949 to 1965. He played a significant role in shaping post-war Germany's economic and social policies.

While the EHRENS surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and migration. Nevertheless, its origins can be traced back to the honorable connotations of the German word "ehren," reflecting the respect and esteem once held by its early bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ehrens

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

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

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

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