Emerson Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Emerson last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Emerson last name
Meaning of the Emerson last name: son of Emery. Emerson is an English surname meaning "son of Emery", from a Norman first name joining old Germanic words for work or vigour and for power. The last name is found mainly in Durham and Yorkshire. Curiously, Ralph Waldo Emerson, the Boston essayist, made it a byword for American independent thought.
Arms associated with the Emerson name
Coats of arms associated with the Emerson last name belong to the English heraldic tradition, each with its own blazon.
Get your full Emerson family history
This is only a glimpse of the Emerson story. The full Emerson history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Emerson coat of arms. Get the full Emerson report.
Emerson name FAQ
What does the Emerson name mean?
Son of Emery. Common variants include Emmerson.
Where does the Emerson surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Emerson coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Emerson coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).