An English surname, Emerson comes from ’emars sunu’ which means the son of Ethelmar. The spelling variations for Emerson include Emerston and Emmerson. In England most with the Emerson surname live in the northern and northeastern regions. The greatest Emerson populations are in Yorkshire, Durham, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Lancashire and the city of London. In Scotland most with the Emerson family name live in the southwestern region. They are concentrated in Lanarkshire, Aberdeenshire, Kirkcudbrightshire and Renfrewshire. Within the United States the earliest Emerson families lived in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Virginia and Ohio. Famous: Ralph Waldo Emerson (famous American poet and philosopher in the 19th century), Roy Stanley Emerson (professional tennis player from Australia), Keith Noel Emerson (co-founder of the musical band ‘Emerson, Lake & Palmer’), Charles Wesley Emerson (founder of Emerson College in Massachusetts in 1880), Earl Emerson (mystery writer novelist), Christie L. Emerson (artist of wildlife), John Wesley Emerson (founder of the Emerson Electric Company in 1890), Faye Emerson ( movie film and television actress), Gary Emerson (professional golfer from England), Chester Emerson (champion baseball player) and Arthur Tenney Emerson (Governor of the American Samoa Island).