NameCensus.

UK surname

Ernest

Derived from a Germanic personal name meaning "serious" or "resolute," which became popular as a surname.

In the 1881 census there were 100 people recorded with the Ernest surname, ranking it #19,750 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 311, ranked #14,376, up from #19,750 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lambeth and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include The Vale of Glamorgan, Camden and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ernest is 350 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 211.0%.

1881 census count

100

Ranked #19,750

Modern count

311

2016, ranked #14,376

Peak year

1891

350 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ernest had 100 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,750 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 311 in 2016, ranked #14,376.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 350 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Ernest surname distribution map

The map shows where the Ernest surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Ernest surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ernest over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 31 #27,734
1861 historical 292 #8,626
1881 historical 100 #19,750
1891 historical 350 #9,836
1901 historical 197 #15,272
1911 historical 323 #10,842
1997 modern 204 #17,409
1998 modern 235 #16,358
1999 modern 230 #16,685
2000 modern 221 #17,089
2001 modern 215 #17,159
2002 modern 231 #16,677
2003 modern 231 #16,504
2004 modern 241 #16,086
2005 modern 256 #15,407
2006 modern 259 #15,370
2007 modern 253 #15,776
2008 modern 252 #15,984
2009 modern 265 #15,756
2010 modern 290 #15,096
2011 modern 292 #14,863
2012 modern 301 #14,476
2013 modern 312 #14,332
2014 modern 318 #14,246
2015 modern 320 #14,090
2016 modern 311 #14,376

Geography

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Where Ernests are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lambeth, Bradford and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to The Vale of Glamorgan, Camden, Rochdale, Ealing and Stoke-on-Trent. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 The Vale of Glamorgan 005 Vale of Glamorgan
2 Camden 010 Camden
3 Rochdale 025 Rochdale
4 Ealing 001 Ealing
5 Stoke-on-Trent 025 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ernest

These lists show first names that appear often with the Ernest surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ernest

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ernest, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Ernest surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Ernest household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ernest is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ernest is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ernest falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ernest is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ernest, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ernest

The surname Ernest is of Germanic origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German words "arn" meaning eagle and "est" meaning firm or strong, suggesting a brave and courageous person. The name was first found in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Ernest surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, which mentions an individual named Ernestus in the year 1212. The name also appears in the Annales Fuldenses, a medieval chronicle from the Abbey of Fulda, where an Ernestus is listed among the nobility in the year 1028.

During the Middle Ages, the Ernest surname was prevalent among the landed gentry and nobility in various parts of Germany. In the 14th century, there are records of Ernests holding estates and lands in the regions of Franconia and Thuringia. One notable individual was Ernst von Gleichen (1265-1347), a German nobleman and poet who belonged to the illustrious House of Wettin.

As the name spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, including Ernast, Erneste, and Ernesti. In England, the Ernest surname can be traced back to the late 16th century, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Among the notable Ernests throughout history are:

1. Ernst Gideon von Laudon (1717-1790), an Austrian field marshal renowned for his military victories during the Seven Years' War. 2. Ernst Chladni (1756-1827), a German physicist and musician who is considered the father of acoustics. 3. Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919), a German biologist and philosopher who coined the terms "ecology" and "phylum." 4. Ernst Mach (1838-1916), an Austrian physicist and philosopher known for his contributions to the study of shock waves and the philosophy of science. 5. Ernst Jünger (1895-1998), a highly influential German writer and philosopher, known for his works on warfare and the human condition.

The Ernest surname has a rich and diverse history, tracing its origins back to the Germanic regions of medieval Europe and spreading across the continent through the centuries. It has been borne by notable figures in fields ranging from literature and philosophy to science and military leadership.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ernest families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ernest surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 36 Ernests recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.72x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 36 3.72x
Middlesex 17 1.74x
Staffordshire 9 2.73x
Surrey 9 1.89x
Essex 5 2.60x
Lancashire 5 0.43x
Kent 4 1.20x
Hertfordshire 3 4.46x
Angus 2 2.21x
Brecknockshire 2 10.25x
Sussex 2 1.22x
Cheshire 1 0.46x
Dorset 1 1.56x
Northamptonshire 1 1.09x
Northumberland 1 0.69x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.76x
Worcestershire 1 0.79x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. York St Maurice in Yorkshire leads with 13 Ernests recorded in 1881 and an index of 714.29x.

Place Total Index
York St Maurice 13 714.29x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 20.05x
Huddersfield 6 42.61x
Tong 5 267.38x
Newington 4 11.10x
Romford 4 131.58x
York St Mary 4 100.00x
Camberwell 3 4.81x
Chelsea London 3 10.21x
Shoreditch London 3 7.09x
Watford 3 57.58x
Bethnal Green London 2 4.72x
Devynnock 2 425.53x
Linton 2 689.66x
Monifieth 2 62.70x
Over Darwen 2 21.62x
Paddington London 2 5.58x
Sculcoates 2 13.05x
Upper Poppleton 2 2222.22x
Brighton 1 3.01x
Chorley In Macclesfield 1 151.52x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 5.44x
Clapham 1 8.20x
Cranbrook 1 70.92x
Easingwold 1 147.06x
East Peckham 1 144.93x
Gilmonby 1 2500.00x
Halifax 1 7.05x
Haydon 1 126.58x
Hove 1 13.85x
Islington London 1 1.06x
Lingfield 1 107.53x
Little Bolton 1 6.72x
Mile End Old Town London 1 4.82x
Ordsall 1 99.01x
Peterborough 1 15.06x
Portland 1 29.07x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 23.70x
St Giles In Fields London 1 20.88x
St Nicholas Olave London 1 5000.00x
St Pancras London 1 1.27x
Stone 1 23.75x
Sutton 1 25.77x
Tottenham 1 6.44x
Wanstead 1 29.67x
West Bromwich 1 5.31x
Worcester All Sts 1 135.14x
York St Martin Le Grand 1 769.23x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ernest surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Fanny 3
Mary 3
Ann 2
Charlotte 2
Gertrude 2
Helen 2
Louisa 2
(Mrs) 1
Ada 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Carolina 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
Dorothy 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Mabel 1
Marianne 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Ozanne 1
Phillis 1
Rachel 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ernest surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Charles 6
William 5
Thomas 4
John 3
Arthur 2
Henry 2
Ozanne 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Augustas 1
Chas. 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Edwd.Llewellyn 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Girthage 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Iveson 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Kalli 1
Laurence 1
Lazzell 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Moses 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Son 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Ernest surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ernest surname in 1881?

In 1881, 100 people were recorded with the Ernest surname. That placed it at #19,750 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ernest surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 311 in 2016. That gives Ernest a modern rank of #14,376.

What does the Ernest surname mean?

Derived from a Germanic personal name meaning "serious" or "resolute," which became popular as a surname.

What does the Ernest map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ernest bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.