2010
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ern
A locational surname originating from various places in Germany.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Ern. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ern surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Ern in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ern, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ern
The surname "ERN" is believed to have originated in the United Kingdom, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "earn," meaning "eagle." This connection suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname or an occupational name given to someone who worked with eagles or had characteristics associated with these majestic birds.
The earliest known record of the surname "ERN" can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Ern." This entry provides evidence of the name's existence in England during the time of the Norman Conquest. Over the centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, including "Erne," "Earn," and "Earne."
One notable figure bearing the surname "ERN" was Sir John Ern (1430-1502), a prominent English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reigns of Edward IV and Henry VII. His family held estates in Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
Another individual of historical significance was William Ern (1560-1624), a renowned English composer and organist who served as the Master of the Choristers at Winchester Cathedral. His contributions to sacred music during the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras earned him recognition among his contemporaries.
In the realm of literature, Mary Ern (1785-1853) was a Scottish author and poet. Her collection of poems, titled "Poems on Various Subjects," was published in 1810 and gained modest acclaim during her lifetime.
The name "ERN" can also be found in connection with several place names, particularly in England. For example, the village of Ernesby in Leicestershire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English words "earn" (eagle) and "by" (settlement or village), suggesting a possible link to the surname.
Another notable bearer of the surname "ERN" was Sir Thomas Ern (1631-1692), an English lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1689 until his death. His legal expertise and contributions to the development of English common law have been widely recognized.
While the surname "ERN" may not have achieved widespread fame or recognition, its origins and historical references demonstrate its deep-rooted presence in various regions of the United Kingdom, particularly in England. The name's connection to the Old English language and its association with eagles and other symbolic elements add to its unique character and enduring legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ern
Among Census respondents with the surname Ern, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Ern bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ern surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.0% · 85
- Hispanic or Latino6.7% · 7
- Two or more races4.8% · 5
- Black or African American3.8% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.8% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ern
Ern appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-13 bearers (-11.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,849 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-11.0%) | Down 11,849 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ern surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #141,140 | #152,989 | -8.4% |
| Count | 118 | 105 | -11.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ern bearers went from 118 to 105 (-11.0% change). The surname moved down 11,849 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #152,989.
FAQ
Ern surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ern?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Ern. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Ern?
Ern ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 105 people with the surname Ern. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Ern.
Has Ern become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ern went from 118 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 13 (-11.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Ern?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ern, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%) and Two or More Races (4.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ern in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.0% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ern appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.0%), Hispanic (6.7%), Two or More Races (4.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ern (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ern mean?
A locational surname originating from various places in Germany. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ern (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Ern?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Ern on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.