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Warner History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Sources

Warner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

Etymology of Warner

What does the name Warner mean?

The German surname Warner emerged in the lands that formed the modern state of Lower Saxony, which is presently bordered by the North Sea, the Hartz mountains and the Elbe and Ems rivers. Lower Saxony was previously a medieval Saxon dukedom.

The name can be traced to the popular medieval pet-form Wezelo, which was a common abbreviation of the Christian name Wernher, and the surname came to denote 'a son of Wezelo'. Wernher was a very popular choice of Christian name in Medieval Germany, as it had been the name of many famous Crusaders. This Christian name was popular among their ranks and this ensured the popularity of the name. Most personal names were abbreviated and Wezelo was a common abbreviation of Wernher. The name Werner translates from German to mean "protector."

Bruder (Brother) Wernher (fl. 13th century) was an Austrian poet who wrote Middle High German social or political songs. He took part in the Sixth Crusade (1228-1229) under Emperor Frederick II as in one poem, he was highly critical of Pope Gregory IX for the war he instigated against Frederick II in 1228.

Wernher von Homberg (also Werner; Hohenberg, 1284-1320) was a knight in the service Emperor Henry VII, and later of Frederick the Fair. Some of his poems appear in the Codex Manesse (c. 1340.)

Early Origins of the Warner family

The surname Warner was first found in Lower Saxony, where the family gained a significant reputation for their contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. Branches of this estimable family held estates near Hanover, at Trebitsch in Silesia, and at Tolitz in Pomerania. The oldest form of the name is Werneke or Werner, but, in northern areas especially around Hamburg, it changed to Warner by around 1300. Chronicles first mention Herman Werneking of Hanover in 1497.

Early History of the Warner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Warner research. Another 189 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1490, 1541, 1637, 1646, 1687, 1693, 1710, 1718, 1750, 1759, 1761, 1766, 1768, 1791, 1805, 1817, 1818, 1823 and 1829 are included under the topic Early Warner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Warner Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Werner, Wernher, Warner, Warners, Werners, Wernere, Wernerer, Waerner, Warncke, Warnke (Hamburg), Werneke, Warnken, Warnke, Warneking (Westphalia) and many more.

Early Notables of the Warner family

Notables of the time included Zacharias Werner (1768-1823), who was a controversial dramatist. Abraham Gottlieb Werner (1750-1817) was a famous mineralogist and is considered to be the founder of geology. He influenced generations of prominent scientists while teaching at the mining institute in Freiberg. Gregor Joseph Werner (1693-1766) was an Austrian composer...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Warner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Warner World Ranking

In the United States, the name Warner is the 344^th most popular surname with an estimated 77,097 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Warner is ranked the 831^st most popular surname with an estimated 6,459 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Warner is the 431^st popular surname with an estimated 8,709 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Warner as 654^th with 1,091 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Warner as 389^th with 16,576 people. 5

Warner migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Warner Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Augustine Warner, who arrived in Virginia in 1628 6
Andrew Warner, Jr., Nantasket Massachusetts in 1631 aboard the ship "Lyon", bound for Cambridge 6
Andrew Warner, who settled in Nantasket Massachusetts in 1631 aboard the ship "Lyon", bound for Cambridge
William Warner, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1631
Mrs. Warner, who arrived in Nantasket, Massachusetts in 1631 aboard the ship "Lyon", bound for Cambridge 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Warner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Barbara Warner, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 6
Hendrich Warner, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1729 6
Johann Adam Warner, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1733
Andreas Warner, who settled in Philadelphia in 1734
Henrick Warner, who landed in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania in 1741 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Warner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jeremiah Warner, aged 35, who arrived in New York in 1800 6
Edward Warner, who arrived in New York in 1834 6
Christian Warner, who landed in Maryland in 1838 6
Freid Ludwig Warner, who settled in Baltimore in 1840
George Warner, who landed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1844 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Warner migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Warner Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Christopher Warner, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
Mr. Christian Warner U.E., (Christeyan, Wanner) who settled in Canada c. 1784 8
Sgt. Christian Warner U.E. who settled in Home District [York County], Ontario c. 1784 8
Mr. Christoper Warner U.E., (Christian) who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 he became a Freeman in 1785 was a Baker 8
Mr. Conradt Warner U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1784 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Warner Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Cyrus Warner, who arrived in Canada in 1830
Henry Warner, who arrived in Canada in 1831

Warner migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Warner Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Warner, English convict who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for life, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 22nd September 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Mr. Robert Warner, (b. 1784), aged 37, English hawker who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 7 years for grand larceny, transported aboard the "Claudine" on 20th May 1821, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1826 10
Francis Warner, English convict from Nottingham, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on July 3, 1822, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 11
Mr. George Warner, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Commodore Hayes" in April 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
Mr. Thomas Warner, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Chapman" on 12th April 1826, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Warner migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Warner Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Richard Warner, who landed in Nelson, New Zealand in 1842
Richard Warner, aged 23, a blacksmith, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1842
Eliza Warner, aged 23, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1842
Richard Warner, aged 1, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1842
Horatio Nelson Warner, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1843
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Warner migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 14

Warner Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Sir Thomas Warner, who settled in Barbados in 1679 with his wife Anne, three children, and his servants

Contemporary Notables of the name Warner (post 1700) +

Jack Leonard Warner (1892-1978), American president and driving force behind the highly successful development of Warner Brothers Studios in Hollywood
Aaron "Albert" Warner (1883-1967), Polish-born American film executive, one of the founders of Warner Bros. Studios
Florence Warner (1947-2024), American singer
Federico Anthony "Fred" Warner (b. 1996), American football linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League
Larry Logan Warner (1945-2022), American lawyer and politician, born in Washington, D.C
John William Warner III (1927-2021), American attorney and politician, United States Senator from Virginia (1979-2009)
Daniel Lawrence "Dan" Warner (1971-2019), American Grammy Award- and Latin Grammy Award-winning guitarist, producer and songwriter
Jack Warner (b. 1940), American Major League Baseball pitcher
Harry Warner (1881-1958), American studio executive, one of the founders of Warner Bros. Studios
Corporal Henry F Warner (1923-1944), American Army soldier awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1944
... (Another 217 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Warner family +

Halifax Explosion

Mr. John Edward Warner (1887-1917), Canadian resident from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 15

HMS Repulse

Mr. William Robert Warner (1921-1942), English Able Bodied Seaman from Colchester, Essex, England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse and survived the sinking, also sailed aboard the HMS Sultan, died as a prisoner of war in 1942 16

HMS Royal Oak

Leonard John Warner (d. 1939), British Shipwright 4th Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 17

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Tertius Selwyn Warner, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from London, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 18

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/claudine
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 155 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1822
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th March 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/commodore-hayes
Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 28th January 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/chapman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/