Surname Erasmus - Meaning and Origin
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Erasmus: What does the surname Erasmus mean?
The last name Erasmus is derived from the Latin phrase "erasmus," which means "beloved" or "desired." It is a prime example of a patronymic surname, which is derived from a parent's given name. In this case, it is most commonly associated with someone named Erasmus or Erasmius, which was a very popular name among ancient Greeks and Romans.
Erasmus was an extremely popular figure in the 16th century, according to the Belgian historian Johannes Stuiveling, who wrote several books about Erasmus and his life. He was a priest, theologian, humanist and a teacher who wrote on many topics, such as religion, education, the nature of reality, and social issues. Erasmus had a profound impact on the Renaissance and Reformation, and thus his name has endured over the centuries.
As a result of Erasmus’ influence, the last name Erasmus became much more prevalent in the Western World. It is found in many parts of Europe, such as France, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is also found in other places, such as the United States, India, Australia, and China.
The last name Erasmus serves as a reminder of the powerful influence of Erasmus in the religious, social, and scientific communities. Erasmus helped advance philosophy and religion by encouraging questioning and critical thinking. His name is still used today as a reminder of the legacy that he created hundreds of years ago.
Order DNA origin analysisErasmus: Where does the name Erasmus come from?
The last name Erasmus appears to be most popular in its country of origin, the Netherlands. Although the Erasmus name has been recorded in numerous countries for centuries, its historical roots remain firmly in the Netherlands.
As of 2019, Erasmus remains one of the most common Dutch surnames according to official records. Data released by the Netherlands’ Statistics Bureau indicates that approximately 32,000 people in the country currently share this name. In addition, there are also a number of immigrants with the same last name who have since migrated to various parts of the world, including in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Although the name is particularly widespread in the Netherlands, Erasmus remains quite rare in other parts of Europe, such as the UK. This could be due to a number of reasons, including a number of Dutch immigrants having adopted different last names on arriving in the UK or further afield.
In the US, the last name remains uncommon too. According to the US Census Bureau, only about 3,500 people are registered as sharing this last name – a fraction of the estimated number of Erasmus living in the Netherlands.
Overall, the name Erasmus appears to be most common in its country of origin, the Netherlands. There it’s still quite a common surname, having been passed down through generations. Although it’s not particularly widespread outside the Netherlands, it’s certainly not unheard of either, with scattered clusters of the name throughout Europe, the US, Canada, and Australia.
Variations of the surname Erasmus
The surname Erasmus is of ancient Germanic origin, derived from the Old Germanic name Erasmus meaning ‘beloved’, ‘loved’ or ‘devoted’. The variants of this surname include Erasme, Erasmusse, Erasmeau, Erasmie, Erasmic, Erasmiac, Erasmos, Erasmon, Erasmones, and Erasmons.
In the U.S and U.K, the variants include Erasmo, Erasmus, Erazmus, Eraztu, Erazmas, Erasmo, Erasmat, Erasmic, Erazma, Erazmus, Erazu, Eremele, Eresme, Erismeus, Erismo, Ermes, Ermesme, Ermos, Erms, Ermus, Eruse, Ersams, Erseme, Ersme, Ersmus, Ertemus, Erthemus, Ertimus, Eruseme, Erysmos, Erysmus, Erysmusau, Erysme, Erysmos, Erysmosau, and Eryesme.
Likewise, the alternate spellings of Erasmus include Erasma, Erasmas, Erasmax, Erasmaz, Erasmee, Erasmia, Erasmic, Erasmiz, Erasmo, Erasmoe, Erasmop, Erasmos, Erasmou, Erasmox, Erasmuso, Erasmy, Eraso, Erassme, Erasums, Erasmay, and Erassoe.
Finally, the surnames of the same origin as Erasmus include Erasm, Erasmi, Erasmio, Erassio, Erasie, Erasson, Erassou, Erassone, Erassoni, Erassoux, and Erassow.
Overall, there are a variety of variants, spellings, and surnames that are derived from the name Erasmus. With its Germanic origin, meaning ‘beloved’ and its various spellings, the name is quite widespread throughout Europe.
Famous people with the name Erasmus
- Desiderius Erasmus — A Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, social critic, teacher, and theologian
- Dirk Erasmus — Former Prime Minister of South Africa from 1989 to 1994
- Eva Erasmus — German lawyer and poet
- Eugenius Erasmus — South African cricketer
- Henk Erasmus — Dutch former professional football player and coach
- Johannes Erasmus — German pianist, composer, and musicologist
- Koos Erasmus — Dutch composer
- Reinier Erasmus — South African and Dutch poet
- Roelof Erasmus — South African field hockey player
- Susan Erasmus — South African award-winning journalist, editor, and writer