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

Ernest, 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 Ernest surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ernest in America

Ernest is the 7053rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ernest surname appeared 4,745 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Ernest.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ernest 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 Ernest

The surname Ernest is of Germanic origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German words "arn" meaning eagle and "est" meaning firm or strong, suggesting a brave and courageous person. The name was first found in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Ernest surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, which mentions an individual named Ernestus in the year 1212. The name also appears in the Annales Fuldenses, a medieval chronicle from the Abbey of Fulda, where an Ernestus is listed among the nobility in the year 1028.

During the Middle Ages, the Ernest surname was prevalent among the landed gentry and nobility in various parts of Germany. In the 14th century, there are records of Ernests holding estates and lands in the regions of Franconia and Thuringia. One notable individual was Ernst von Gleichen (1265-1347), a German nobleman and poet who belonged to the illustrious House of Wettin.

As the name spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, including Ernast, Erneste, and Ernesti. In England, the Ernest surname can be traced back to the late 16th century, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Among the notable Ernests throughout history are:

1. Ernst Gideon von Laudon (1717-1790), an Austrian field marshal renowned for his military victories during the Seven Years' War.
2. Ernst Chladni (1756-1827), a German physicist and musician who is considered the father of acoustics.
3. Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919), a German biologist and philosopher who coined the terms "ecology" and "phylum."
4. Ernst Mach (1838-1916), an Austrian physicist and philosopher known for his contributions to the study of shock waves and the philosophy of science.
5. Ernst Jünger (1895-1998), a highly influential German writer and philosopher, known for his works on warfare and the human condition.

The Ernest surname has a rich and diverse history, tracing its origins back to the Germanic regions of medieval Europe and spreading across the continent through the centuries. It has been borne by notable figures in fields ranging from literature and philosophy to science and military leadership.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ernest

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

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

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

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