Show ContentsErben History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The German surname Erben comes from the medieval personal name Erbe, meaning "descendant," or "heir."

Early Origins of the Erben family

The surname Erben was first found in the Rhineland, where this family was a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. The earliest record is of "ich Erbo, Erben sun" or "Erbo, son of Erbo," who was a knight in Colmar in 1282. Colman or Kolman, located in Alsace, was a free city of the Holy Roman Empire in 1226. They held a family seat at Strasbourg, where records show Erbo Schonterlin in 1260, and Erbo Mendewin in 1353. Further to the south, there is a record of Joh. Erbe in 1320, in Konstanz, a city on the Swiss border.

Early History of the Erben family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Erben research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1468 and 1531 are included under the topic Early Erben History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Erben Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Erb, Erbe, von Erb, von Erbe, Erbs, Erby, Erbie and others.

Early Notables of the Erben family

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


United States Erben migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Erben Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Philip Henrich Erben, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1742 1
  • Adam Erben, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1764 1
Erben Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Conrad Erben, aged 39, who landed in Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Strabo" 1
  • Mr. Conrad Erben, aged 24, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Strabo"

Contemporary Notables of the name Erben (post 1700) +

  • Mary Lou Erben, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Texas, 2012


  1. 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)


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