Surname Ehrat - Meaning and Origin
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Ehrat: What does the surname Ehrat mean?
The last name Ehrat is of German origin and is most commonly found among families in Germany, Austria, and other parts of Central Europe.
The name is derived from the Old German word eher, meaning “edge or border” and is believed to have been used as an occupational name for someone who lived near a border or boundary. Over time, this name developed into Ehrat, with subsequent generations using it as a surname.
The Ehrat family is thought to have descended from a line of German knights who lived near the Rhine River. It may also have a connection to a Swiss-Austrian family who settled in the seventeenth century in eastern Tyrol, Austria.
The most likely origin of the name is that of a topographic name for someone who lived near a boundary such as a border or riverbank. It was believed that those who lived close to the border were better able to protect their lands from unscrupulous border crossers and invaders. As a result, they were given the surname Ehrat.
Today, Ehrat is still a common name among German and Swiss-Austrian families living in Europe and the United States. It is still used as an occupational or topographic name to identify people living near boundaries, borders, or riverbanks.
Order DNA origin analysisEhrat: Where does the name Ehrat come from?
The Ehrat surname is most commonly found in German-speaking countries such as Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein, and in areas of France that were once part of the Holy Roman Empire. It is possible that the Ehrat surname is of Swiss-German origin, although some researchers also suggest an Alsatian origin.
The surname also occurs with some frequency in other countries with historical ties to Germans, such as the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, and Australia, though its presence is not as frequent as in German-speaking lands.
In countries such as the United States, Canada, and Brazil, the Ehrat surname is found among Americans and Canadians of German, Swiss, and/or Alsatian ancestry. In Mexico, it is often found among those of German descent, as well as of other European ethnicities that settled in the country during the colonial era. In South Africa, it has often been adopted by those of German ethnicity, as well as by those of Dutch, French, and British descent.
In the United Kingdom, the surname is often found among those of British descent, but it is not as common as it is in other countries. The Ehrat surname is also found in some parts of Asia, such as among some Malaysians, and in some Middle Eastern countries, such as in Turkey and Lebanon.
Variations of the surname Ehrat
Ehrat is a traditionally Swiss surname of Germanic origin. Its original spelling is Erhart, but it has many variations such as Erhartt, Ehret, Ehratt, Ehra, Ehrhardt, Ehrard, Ehrhardt, Ehrhaft, Erhaft, Erhardson, Erhardtson, and the plural form Erharts.
By the 1600s, Ehrat had spread from its Swiss origin to other areas of Europe such as Germany, Austria, and elsewhere. Its variant Ehrat is commonly found in Germany and Switzerland, while the variant Ehrhardt is common in Austria.
Ehrat is an occupational surname, derived from the German words "erkennen" and "hart," which mean brave and strong. It is also derived from the Latin root "convention," indicating that it would have referred to an important official, probably within the judicial system.
In the USA, Ehrat is common in Pennsylvania and Ohio, while variants can be found across the country. Ehrat can also be found in Canada, South Africa, and Australia.
In Scotland, the variant Ehret is sometimes found, derived from the Old French term "harre," which means “hawk.” This may have been a name for someone with hawk-like qualities, such as swiftness or courage.
Today, Ehrat is a common surname in many European countries, and its various spelling variants can offer clues as to its geographical origin.
Famous people with the name Ehrat
- Gerhard Ehrat (1931–2017), Swiss architect and urban planner
- Ernst Ehrat (1902–1987), Swiss politician and scripture translator
- Leonhard Ehrat (1917–2002), German sculptor
- Louis Ehrat (1925–1999), French diplomat
- Christian Ehrat (born 1955), Swiss politician
- Nico Ehrat (born 1985), Swiss football player
- Dänu Ehrat (born 1948), Swiss cartoonist
- Tomas Ehrat (active since 1988), Czech classical cellist
- Oliver Ehrat (active since 1986), German musical theater actor
- Richard Ehrat (born 1963), American theologian and Roman Catholic deacon