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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The ancestors of the name Ernle date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Ernle family lived in the village of Ernle, in the county of Sussex.
The surname Ernle was first found in Sussex at West Wittering, a parish, in the union of West Hampnett, hundred of Manhood, rape of Chichester. "Wittering was the occasional residence of the bishops of Chichester from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century, when the episcopal palace, now called Cakeham Manor Place, became the property of the Ernley family; the ancient mansion has partly disappeared, and the remainder has been converted into a farmhouse." 1
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ernle research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1461, 1465, 1550, 1620, 1647, 1676, 1686, 1689 and 1697 are included under the topic Early Ernle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Ernle are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Ernle include: Ernle, Earnley, Ernley, Earnlie, Earnleigh and others.
Notables of the family at this time include
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Ernle or a variant listed above: Alexander Ernley arrived in Philadelphia in 1820.