This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Ernest family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Ernest Family History

Ernest Surname Meaning

French Walloon Dutch Polish Czech Jewish West Indian (mainly Haiti) and African (mainly Tanzania): from the personal name Ernest a cognate or a variant of German Dutch and Jewish Ernst.

Americanized form of German Dutch Danish and Jewish Ernst.

English: variant of Harness by folk-etymological association with the vocabulary word earnest.

Compare Earnest.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Ernest family from?

You can see how Ernest families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ernest family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ernest families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 147 Ernest families living in London. This was about 33% of all the recorded Ernest's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Ernest families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ernest surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Ernest ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Carpenter joiner and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Ernest. 10% of Ernest men worked as a Carpenter joiner and 73% of Ernest women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ernest were Builders Labourer and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Ernest | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Carpenter joiner
    10%
  • Incapacitated
    10%
  • Contractor Builders
    10%
  • Builders Labourer
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Domestic Duties
    5%

What Ernest family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 60,000 census records available for the last name Ernest. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ernest census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ernest

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Ernest. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ernest immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Ernest. For the veterans among your Ernest ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ernest military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ernest family history

Discover More

What is the average Ernest lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Ernest life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Ernest in 1945 was 38, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ernest

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ernest ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ernest family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial