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

Ehrman, 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 Ehrman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ehrman in America

Ehrman is the 17111th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ehrman surname appeared 1,658 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 Ehrman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ehrman 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 Ehrman

The surname Ehrman originates from Germany, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Germanic root word "Erman," which means "entire" or "whole." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person who was considered whole or complete in some way, perhaps physically or spiritually.

In the regions of Bavaria and Saxony, the name Ehrman can be traced back to various villages and towns, such as Ehrmannsbach and Ehrmannsdorf. These place names likely contributed to the development and spread of the surname throughout the region.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Ehrman can be found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the town of Nürnberg, where a certain Hans Ehrman was documented in the year 1532. This entry provides a glimpse into the early usage of the surname in a historical context.

During the 17th century, the name Ehrman appeared in various legal documents and records across Germany. For instance, in 1672, a merchant named Johann Ehrman was mentioned in the trade records of the city of Hamburg, indicating the involvement of individuals with this surname in commercial activities at the time.

One notable figure bearing the surname Ehrman was Johann Ehrman (1628-1697), a German theologian and author from Saxony. He wrote several influential works on theology and religious subjects, contributing to the intellectual discourse of his era.

Another prominent individual was Carl Friedrich Ehrman (1740-1827), a German jurist and legal scholar. He served as a professor of law at the University of Göttingen and authored several esteemed legal texts that had a lasting impact on the field of jurisprudence.

In the realm of arts and culture, the name Ehrman is associated with Johann Christian Ehrman (1749-1827), a German composer and organist active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He composed numerous works for organ and other instruments, contributing to the musical landscape of his time.

The surname Ehrman also has a presence in the field of literature, with Karl Ehrman (1858-1932), a German poet and writer from Silesia. His poetic works explored themes of nature, love, and the human condition, earning him recognition among literary circles of his era.

While these examples provide insights into the historical usage and notable bearers of the surname Ehrman, it is important to note that the name's origins and distribution may have evolved over time, with variations and regional differences influencing its prevalence and meaning across different regions and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ehrman

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

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

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

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