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

Ernst, 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 Ernst surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ernst in America

Ernst is the 1969th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ernst surname appeared 18,361 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Ernst.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ernst 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 Ernst

The surname ERNST originates from Germany and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Germanic given name Ernst, which means "stern" or "serious." The name's earliest known use as a surname can be traced back to the 12th century in the present-day German states of Bavaria and Saxony.

In the 13th century, the surname ERNST appeared in various Latin documents and medieval records across German-speaking regions. One notable mention is in the Codex Traditionum Corbeiensium, a medieval cartulary from the Benedictine abbey in Corvey, which lists several individuals with the surname ERNST.

The surname ERNST was also found in the Bairische Stammtafeln, a collection of genealogical records from Bavaria, dating back to the 14th century. This suggests that the name was well-established in southern Germany during this period.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname ERNST was Johann ERNST, a German scholar and philosopher who lived from 1454 to 1513. He was a professor at the University of Ingolstadt and wrote extensively on theology and logic.

Another notable figure was Valerius ERNST, a German composer and organist who lived from 1570 to 1630. He was employed at the court of the Dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg and is known for his sacred compositions and instrumental works.

In the 17th century, the surname ERNST spread to other parts of Europe. For example, Johann Arnold ERNST was a Dutch artist and engraver who lived from 1623 to 1685. He is renowned for his intricate landscape etchings and prints.

Moving to the 19th century, Heinrich Wilhelm ERNST was a German violinist and composer who lived from 1814 to 1865. He was a virtuoso performer and wrote several influential works for the violin, including his renowned Élégie.

Another notable figure was Max ERNST, a German painter and sculptor who played a pivotal role in the Dada and Surrealist movements. He lived from 1891 to 1976 and is celebrated for his innovative techniques and surreal imagery.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ernst

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

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

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

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