Frequency: (123)
(number of times this surname appears in a sample database of 88.7 million names, representing one third of the 1997 US population)
1. German: patronymic from the personal name Arne.
2. Swedish: probably of the same origin as the German name, but in Swedish the suffix -ing is commonly used in forming ornamental names from many different vocabulary words and from place names, as well as from personal names; the underlying etymon could be arn ‘eagle’.
GIVEN NAMES: Scandinavian 8%; German 4%. Erland (2), Holger; Juergen, Klaus.
See the Key to the Dictionary or consult the General Introduction for further explanation.
Dictionary of American Family Names. Copyright © 2006 Patrick Hanks. All rights reserved.
