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![Show Contents]() Erna History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Germany
The Erna family name first began to be used in the German state of Bavaria. After the 12th century, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules, and names that were derived from locations became particularly common. The family name Erna is a local surname. Originally denoting the proprietorship of an estate or influence within a village, the German preposition von, which means from or of, used with local names, was taken as a mark of aristocracy. The surname Erna was given to someone who lived in Bavaria, where they have been associated with the tribal conflicts of the area since ancient times. Early Origins of the Erna familyThe surname Erna was first found in Bavaria, where the name Ehrne was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power. Early History of the Erna familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Erna research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1787 is included under the topic Early Erna History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Erna Spelling VariationsIn the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Erna include Ehrne, Ehrn, Ehrnne, Ehrnn, Eyrne, Eyrnne, Earne, Earnne, Ern and many more. Early Notables of the Erna familyMore information is included under the topic Early Erna Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Erna migration to the United States | + |
The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:
Erna Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Louis Erna, who settled in Philadelphia in 1877
| Contemporary Notables of the name Erna (post 1700) | + |
- Muriel Erna Ballantine, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 1972 1
- Erna Rubinstein (1903-1966), born Ernesztina Rubinstein, was a Hungarian violinist
- Erna Augusta Brinkman (b. 1972), Dutch retired volleyball player born in Sneek, Friesland, who represented her native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1992
- Erna Paris CM (1938-2022), Canadian non-fiction author, born in Toronto
- Erna Osland (b. 1951), Norwegian teacher and author of children's literature, awarded the Norwegian Critics Prize for Best children's book in 1999
- Erna Scheffler (1893-1983), German senior judge
- Dr. Erna Schneider Hoover (b. 1926), American mathematician and inventor of the computerized telephone switching system
- Erna Berger (1900-1990), German soprano singer
- Erna Melaun, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Wisconsin, 1952 1
- Erna Fitzpatrick, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Michigan Democratic State Central Committee, 1956-57 2
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Erna migration to the United States 
