Show ContentsErler History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the bearers of the Erler family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in the parish of Earley, in the diocese of Oxford.

Early Origins of the Erler family

The surname Erler was first found in the County of Somerset. The surname originates from a Saxon word "eorl" or "jarl" which described the elder or wise man of the village. In time the name came to mean the leader or ruler and finally, during mediaeval times it was used to signify a nobleman of the highest rank.

Later, a branch of the family was found at Axmouth in Devon. "The manor [of Axmouth] formerly belonged to the abbey of Sion, in Middlesex, and was given at the Dissolution by Henry VIII. to his queen Catharine Parr, as part of her dower; it reverted at her death to the crown, and was granted by Edward VI., in 1552, to Walter Erle." 1

"For some two centuries it has been the property of the Hallets. Stedcombe House, a seat of the Erles, was garrisoned by Sir Walter for the Parliament, but taken and burned in March, 1644, by a party of Prince Maurice's troops. The Erles then resided at Bindon, now a farmhouse, but retaining many traces of its ancient state, particularly its domestic chapel. Sir Walter Erie had been imprisoned for refusing to lend money to the King, and in revenge seized Lyme for the Parliament in 1642." 2

"The manor of Penheale, [in the parish or Egloskerry, Cornwall] extends over the whole parish, can be satisfactorily traced up to the time of Doomsday Survey. At that time it was held under Robert Earl of Moreton by Ricardus, whose son William Fitz Richard, left a daughter and sole heiress, who was married to Reginald Earl of Cornwall, natural son of Henry I." 3

"It appears from Dugdale's Monasticon, that the church of Egloshayle [in Cornwall] was given by William Earl of Gloucester to the priory of St. James in Bristol, which gift was confirmed by Edward II." 3

Early History of the Erler family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Erler research. Another 325 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1120, 1160, 1416, 1471, 1586, 1590, 1601, 1614, 1615, 1616, 1648, 1650, 1653, 1662, 1665, 1667, 1678, 1720, 1758, 1812 and 1859 are included under the topic Early Erler History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Erler Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Erler include Earl, Earle, Earll, Earlls, Erle, Irle, Urles, Urle, Erl, Earls, Earles, Earlie, Earlee, Erlegh, Erligh, Erleigh, Earleigh and many more.

Early Notables of the Erler family

Distinguished members of the family include Nicholas Earl of Allerton Tower; Erasmus Earle (1590-1667), an English lawyer and politician, Sergeant-at-law to Oliver Cromwell; Sir Walter Erle or Earle (1586-1665), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1648, an strong opponent of King Charles I in the Parliamentary cause both before and during the English Civil War; Giles Earle (fl. 1615), an English collector of songs, and assumed poet...
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Erler Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Erler Ranking

In the United States, the name Erler is the 18,242nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Ireland Migration of the Erler family to Ireland

Some of the Erler family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Erler migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Erler or a variant listed above:

Erler Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Andr Erler, who arrived in America in 1751
Erler Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Frederick Erler, who settled in New York in 1832
  • Agnes Erler, who settled in Texas in 1846
  • George Erler, who landed in New York in 1847 5
  • Gerh Heinr Erler, who arrived in America in 1849 5
  • Wilh Erler, who landed in America in 1854 5
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Erler (post 1700) +

  • Martin Erler (1920-2014), German philatelist
  • Dietmar Erler (b. 1947), retired German football player
  • Fritz Erler (1868-1940), German painter, graphic designer and scenic designer
  • David Erler (b. 1981), German countertenor
  • Dieter Erler (1939-1998), German footballer who played from 1957 to 1972, member of the East Germany National Team (1959-1968)
  • Michaela Erler (b. 1965), German handball player at the 1992 Summer Olympics


The Erler Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ne Tentes Aut Perfice
Motto Translation: Attempt not or accomplish.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
  3. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. 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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