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

Ems, 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 Ems surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ems in America

Ems is the 50196th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ems surname appeared 417 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 Ems.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ems 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 Ems

The surname Ems is believed to have originated in Germany, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old German word "emus," meaning "ant." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone with an industrious or ant-like nature.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Ems can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, dating back to 1258. In this document, a certain "Henricus Emus" is mentioned as a witness to a land transaction.

During the medieval period, the name Ems was primarily concentrated in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. It is believed that the name may have originated in the town of Emse, located in the present-day state of Saxony-Anhalt.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Ems was Johannes Ems, a prominent scholar and theologian who lived in the 14th century (c. 1310-1370). He was a professor at the University of Prague and is credited with writing several influential works on philosophy and theology.

In the 16th century, the Ems family gained prominence in the city of Nuremberg, where they were involved in the metalworking and goldsmithing trades. Hans Ems (1522-1598) was a renowned goldsmith and engraver, known for his intricate designs and craftsmanship.

Another notable figure in history was Christoph Ems (1670-1732), a German composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister (music director) at the court of the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg. His compositions, particularly his organ works, are still performed and studied today.

In the 19th century, Johann Ems (1812-1888) was a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Prussian House of Representatives and was actively involved in the liberal movement of the time.

One of the more recent individuals with the surname Ems was the German painter and printmaker Rudolf Ems (1899-1984), who was known for his landscapes and portraits depicting rural life in Germany.

While the surname Ems is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of German heritage, with its roots stretching back to the Middle Ages and a rich history spanning various professions and contributions to society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ems

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

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

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

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