Erná History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Erná

What does the name Erná mean?

The Erná family name first began to be used in the German state of Bavaria. After the 12th century, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules, and names that were derived from locations became particularly common. The family name Erná is a local surname. Originally denoting the proprietorship of an estate or influence within a village, the German preposition von, which means from or of, used with local names, was taken as a mark of aristocracy. The surname Erná was given to someone who lived in Bavaria, where they have been associated with the tribal conflicts of the area since ancient times.

Early Origins of the Erná family

The surname Erná was first found in Bavaria, where the name Ehrne was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

Early History of the Erná family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Erná research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1787 is included under the topic Early Erná History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Erná Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Erná include Ehrne, Ehrn, Ehrnne, Ehrnn, Eyrne, Eyrnne, Earne, Earnne, Ern and many more.

Early Notables of the Erná family

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

Erná migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Erná Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Louis Erna, who settled in Philadelphia in 1877

Contemporary Notables of the name Erná (post 1700) +

Muriel Erna Ballantine, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 1972 1
Erna Woll (1917-2005), German composer, church musician and author
Erna Rubinstein (1903-1966), born Ernesztina Rubinstein, was a Hungarian violinist
Erna Augusta Brinkman (b. 1972), Dutch retired volleyball player born in Sneek, Friesland, who represented her native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1992
Erna Paris CM (1938-2022), Canadian non-fiction author, born in Toronto
Erna Osland (b. 1951), Norwegian teacher and author of children's literature, awarded the Norwegian Critics Prize for Best children's book in 1999
Erna Scheffler (1893-1983), German senior judge
Dr. Erna Schneider Hoover (b. 1926), American mathematician and inventor of the computerized telephone switching system
Erna Berger (1900-1990), German soprano singer

Sources +

The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html