Surname Erath - Meaning and Origin

Erath: What does the surname Erath mean?

The last name Erath is of Germanic origin and is derived from the medieval given name Eberhard. The surname Erath can be found in records as far back as the 13th century in Germany. It is derived from the Old-High-German elements ebur and hart, which translate to "boar and hardy". The boar was a sign of courage and strength in Germanic culture, and the surname Erath is indicative of the bearer's boldness and dedication.

The name is likely to have initially been associated with a specific place or area, and some researchers have identified it with Germany's Eberhartrange Woods in North Rhine-Westphalia. Over time, however, it became a surname, and during the 19th century it was common to find individuals with the last name Erath living in both Germany and Austria.

In the United States, the surname Erath is most common, but it can also be found in countries as diverse as Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Sweden. Records show that the first settlers in the United States with the name Erath were Frederick and Theodore Erath, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1858. The Erath family have since spread throughout the United States and continue to this day.

In short, the last name Erath is of Germanic origin, deriving from the Old-High-German words ebur and hart. It is likely the name was initially associated with a specific area, but over time became a surname with individuals bearing it living in many different countries. In the United States, the family are now widespread, and the surname continues to carry with it a sense of courage and strength that still resonates today.

Erath: Where does the name Erath come from?

The last name Erath is most commonly found in the countries of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is a Germanic name, derived from the given name Erhard, which means “strong and brave”. It is a popular surname in the region, especially in Germany, where it is the 122nd most common name in the nation.

In the United States, the name is found with slightly less frequency, recorded in the US census as the 2,702nd most common surname. It is especially popular in the states of Wisconsin and Oregon, where the name is ranked in the top 200 most common names in the state. Outside the US, there are many people with the name in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and parts of South America.

The Erath surname is most closely associated with the historic Erath family, which played a prominent role in the politics and culture of the German language region in central Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Erath family included writers, scholars, artists, and politicians, and the name is carried on in many families today.

Variations of the surname Erath

The surname Erath is derived from German and has several variations in spelling and common surnames associated with it. The most common variations for the surname Erath include: Erhart, Erhard, Erd, Erdt, Erhardts, Erhartts, Erhards, Erharts, Iherhard, Ehrhardt, Ehrhart, and Ehrhardy.

Erhart is the most common variant of Erath and can be found in records spanning from the Middle Ages to the present day. The spelling of the Erhart family name likely evolved from other spellings such as Erhard or Erhartt. The Erhart spelling is derived from Old High German, where a suffix "-hart" was used to denote strength, courage, and honor in a person's name.

Erhardt is another variant of the Erath surname and likely derived from Erhart or Erhard as well. This spelling often appears as Ehrhardt or Ehrhart. It is derived from the Middle High German "heri", meaning "army".

Erhards and Erharts are also forms of Erath. This variant likely evolved from the Germanic element "er" or "hari" meaning "warrior" or "army".

The surname Erd is associated with the Erath surname and likely is derived from the Latin word "aes" meaning "copper". The surname Erdt is derived from Old High German and likely translated to "outstanding people".

The spelling of Iherhard is considered a parallel form of Erath with similar origins. It can also be found in records from the Middle Ages.

The final variant of the Erath surname is the spelling of Ehrhardy. This form is derived from Middle High German, containing the Germanic element "hard" meaning "hardy", "strong", or "brave".

Famous people with the name Erath

• Louis Erath: A Swiss-born American politician and lawyer, he served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1913 to 1917 and as a U.S. Senator from Oregon from 1917 to 1923.
• Jessie Erath: An American actress, she is most known for her role as Diane Harding in the 1997 film, Grosse Pointe Blank.
• Stephen Erath: An Austrian wine producer best known for his vineyards in the Wagram area. He produces a range of quality wines, some of which have been featured in the prestigious Gault Millau guide.
• Barbara Erath: A German philologist, she was a professor at the University of Hamburg in the early 20th century and is noted for her work on the Romance languages.
• Stephen Erath: A documentary filmmaker, he won the Short Film Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival for his 2009 documentary, "The Oath".
• Louis Erath: One of the original settlers in Erath County, Texas, he was an entrepreneur whose name adorns many of the square streets in Dublin, Texas.
• Jewel Erath: An influential Oregonian architect, she designed the Oregonian Pavilion at the 1962 Seattle World's Fair as well as banks and educational buildings throughout the state.
• Laurence Erath: A French painter born in 1871, he was one of the founding members of the Salon des Artistes Français in Paris and is known for his Impressionist landscapes.

Other surnames

Erat