| ![Show Contents]() Erasmus History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of ErasmusWhat does the name Erasmus mean? The surname Erasmus is a patronymic name derived from the German personal name Erasmus (which in turn was derived from the Latinized form of the Greek word "erasmos," meaning love), borne by an early Christian saint. 1 Generally, many of the family evolved the name to Rasmussen in Denmark. The suffix '-sen' is translatable as 'son of.' Erasmus is a notable forename that dates back to Erasmus of Formia, also known as Saint Elmo (died c. 303), a Christian saint and martyr. This saint gave rise to the forename in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries including: Erasmus of Lueg, the 15th century renowned robber baron; Erasmus Grasser (c. 1450-c. 1515), the German master builder and sculptor; Erasmus Reinhold (1511-1553), the German astronomer and mathematician; Erasmus Finx (1627-1694), also known as Erasmus Francisci, the German polymath, author, and writer; and later in England, Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802), English physician and poet, grandfather of Charles Darwin. Early Origins of the Erasmus familyThe surname Erasmus was first found in Denmark where surnames were generally not adopted by the general population until the nineteenth century. In 1828 the Danish government ordered that children at baptism be given a "family name" along with a "first name". A second law (1860) made the family name hereditary. Early History of the Erasmus familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Erasmus research. The years 1466, 1536, 1585 and 1652 are included under the topic Early Erasmus History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Erasmus Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Rasmussen, Rasmusen, Asmussen, Rasmus, Asmus, Erasmus and many more. Early Notables of the Erasmus familyProminent among bearers of this surname in early times were - Desiderius Erasmus of Roterdam (c. 1466-1536), perhaps the most influential intellectual of the Renaissance period...
Erasmus RankingIn South Africa, the name Erasmus is the 78th most popular surname with an estimated 60,680 people with that name. 2
| Erasmus migration to the United States | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Erasmus Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Julius Erasmus, who was naturalized in Philadelphia in 1877
- Willem Erasmus, aged 26, who settled in America, in 1894
Erasmus Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- John J. Erasmus, who immigrated to America, in 1904
- Katarina Erasmus, aged 21, who landed in America from Roga, in 1905
- Anton Erasmus, aged 40, who settled in America from Roza, in 1905
- Weronika Erasmus, aged 12, who immigrated to the United States from Koza, Austria, in 1907
- Percy Erasmus, aged 17, who settled in America, in 1911
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Contemporary Notables of the name Erasmus (post 1700) | + |
- Mrs. Charles C. Erasmus, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1956
- Garth Erasmus (b. 1956), South African artist
- Daniel Jacobus Erasmus (1830-1913), South African Boer political figure
- Roy Erasmus, Canadian politician and lawyer from Northwest Territories
- Daniel Erasmus, South African athlete who won twelve medals at the Paralympic Games Japan
- Justin Erasmus (b. 1990), South African baseball player in the USA
- Frans C. Erasmus (1896-1967), South African National Party politician
- Georges Henry Erasmus QC (b. 1948), Canadian Aboriginal politician
- Jaco Erasmus (b. 1979), South African-born Italian rugby union naturalized player
- Marais Erasmus (b. 1964), South African cricket umpire and member of the ICC Elite Umpire Panel
- ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
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