Show ContentsGerner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Gerner family

The surname Gerner was first found in East Prussia, where the name Garn came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. It later became more prominent as numerous branches of the same house acquired distant estates, some of which were located in other countries. Through the acquisition of these estates as well as their important contributions to society, the family successfully elevated their social status.

Early History of the Gerner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gerner research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1786 is included under the topic Early Gerner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gerner Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Garn, Garner, Garnerin, Garin, Garene, Karen, Gern, Geirn, Giern, Geren, Garn, Gerner, Gar, Garnen and many more.

Early Notables of the Gerner family

More information is included under the topic Early Gerner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gerner Ranking

In the United States, the name Gerner is the 11,549th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


United States Gerner migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gerner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Georg Gerner, who landed in New York, NY in 1710 [2]
  • Hans Georg Gerner, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1750 [2]
  • Anna Margretha C. Laule Gerner, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1750
  • Johann Mathias Gerner, who landed in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1751 [2]
  • Matthew Gerner, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 [2]
Gerner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Phillipp Gerner, who landed in Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Sarah Ann" [2]
  • Anna Gerner, who settled in New York in 1850
  • Fr. Gerner, who arrived in New York, NY in 1864

New Zealand Gerner migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Gerner Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Janet Gerner, (b. 1847), aged 19, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship "John Temperley" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st June 1866 [3]
  • Miss Ellen Gerner, (b. 1844), aged 22, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship "John Temperley" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st June 1866 [3]

Contemporary Notables of the name Gerner (post 1700) +

  • Edwin Frederick "Ed" Gerner (1897-1970), nicknamed "Lefty", American Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds in 1919
  • Kristian Gerner (b. 1942), Swedish historian and author
  • Sir Hugh Gerner Brain (1890-1976), Australian, army officer, businessman, and public servant


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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