Earhardt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Earhardt

What does the name Earhardt mean?

The ancestral home of the Earhardt family is in the German province of Bavaria. Earhardt is a German nickname surname. Such names came from eke-names, or added names, that described their initial bearer through reference to a physical characteristic or other attribute. It is a name for a courageous or honorable person. The surname Earhardt is composed of two German words meaning honor and bravery.

Early Origins of the Earhardt family

The surname Earhardt was first found in Bavaria, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation. Saint Erhard of Regensburg was bishop of Regensburg in the 7th century. He was also known as Abbot Erhard of EbersheimMunster. He was canonized on the 8th of October 1052, by Pope Leo IX.

Early History of the Earhardt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Earhardt research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1391, 1573, 1752, 1776, 1777, 1786, 1794, 1796, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1824 and 1854 are included under the topic Early Earhardt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Earhardt 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 Earhardt include Ehrhardt, Ehrhart, Erhart, Erhard, Erhardt, Errheart, Errhart, Errhard, Errhardt, Earhart, Airhart and many more.

Early Notables of the Earhardt family

Prominent among members of the name Earhardt in this period include Friedrich Ehrhardt, commander of the 8th Prussian infantry brigade, who was ennobled in 1854; D. Johann Ehrhart, director of the medical school at the University of Innsbruck, was ennobled in the first half of the 19th century; he was known for his work on a Salzburg medical magazine that he had taken over in 1808.Erard was the name borne by this firm of harp and pianoforte makers has been known almost as long in England as in France, its workshops having been established in London near the close of the...
Another 230 words (16 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Earhardt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Earhardt family

German settlers were among the most common to come to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. Poverty and religious persecution drove many Bavarians to make this long trek. tenant farmers were also enticed by the prospect of owning land. From east to west, these German immigrants populated the United States, settling in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada also provided homes to many. Early settlers bearing the Earhardt surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Henrich Ehrhardt, who settled in New York in 1709-1710; Heinrich Ehrhart, who settled in Philadelphia in 1766; Johan Ehrhart settled in Philadelphia in 1749.