Ernste History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Switzerland

The Ernste surname is thought to derive from the Old High German word "ernus," which meant "fight." As such, Ernste was most likely originally a nickname for a person or family whose defining characteristic is a serious demeanor or temperament. Nickname surnames were a class of German names derived from "eke-names," or "added names," that described people by a personal characteristic or other attribute.

Early Origins of the Ernste family

The surname Ernste was first found in Bavaria, where the family emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

Early History of the Ernste family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ernste research. Another 234 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1556, 1624, 1644, 1664, 1666, 1675, 1682, 1688, 1695, 1712, 1716, 1719, 1773, 1786, 1787, 1798, 1814, 1832, 1838 and 1844 are included under the topic Early Ernste History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ernste Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Ernste include Ernst, Ernste, Ernest, Errnst, Ernesten, Arnst, Aernst, Arnest and many more.

Early Notables of the Ernste family

Prominent among members of the name Ernste in this period include Georg Ernst of Limburg Stirum, (died 1666), Count of Limburg Stirum, Count of Bronckhorst, Lord of Wisch, Lichtenvoorde and Wildenborch; Christian Ernst of...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ernste Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ernste migration to the United States +

Between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries, German settlers arrived in North America by the thousands. Persecution based on religion and poverty were great motivators in this large-scale migration. So too was the opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own land. Ample land and opportunity awaited the settlers who went to such states as Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, as well as Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Ernste or a variant listed above:

Ernste Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hans Michael Ernste, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1739 1

Citations +

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)