Kerner is an occupational surname of German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) origin. There are various possible derivations, including as a name for a farmer or a nickname for a small person, from a Middle High German kerne ("kernel seed pip"); German Kern or Yiddish kern (grain), among others. Middle English kerner is a variant of cherner ("churner; one who churns butter"). It may also derive from "carter" or "carrier", from the German word kerenere. The name was found in Bavaria, Germany, in the medieval period.
People with the surname include:
Literature
- Charlotte Kerner (born 1950), biographer and science-fiction writer
- Elizabeth Kerner (born 1958), fantasy author
- Justinus Kerner (1786–1862), a German lyric poet of the Swabian school
Politics
- Johann Georg Kerner (1770–1812), political journalist, critical chronicler of the French revolution, brother of Justinus Kerner
- Otto Kerner, Jr. (1908–1976), Illinois Governor and judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- Otto Kerner, Sr. (1884–1952), an Illinois Attorney General and judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Entertainment and media
- Debby Kerner, American singer
- Nena (Gabriele Susanne Kerner; born 1960), German singer who became famous with the New German Wave songs "Nur geträumt" and "99 Luftballons"
- Jordan Kerner, film producer
- Johannes B. Kerner, (born 1964), German television broadcaster
Sports
- Jonathan Kerner (born 1974), American basketball player
- Marlon Kerner (born 1973), American football player
Science and mathematics
- Boris Kerner, (born 1947), German physicist
- Anton Kerner von Marilaun (1831–1898), Austrian botanist
Other fields
- Ian Kerner, American sex counselor
References
- "Kerner Name Meaning & Kerner Family History". Ancestry. 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, 2022
- "Kerner Name Meaning, Family History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms". HouseOfNames. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
Surname listThis page lists people with the surname Kerner. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link. Categories: