Background
He was the son of Frederick William, Prince of Solms-Braunfels (1696–1761) by his first wife Princess Magdalena Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg (1691–1725). Ferdinand Wilhelm Ernst was born in Braunfels, Solms-Braunfels as the first son and child of Frederick William, Count of Solms-Braunfels and his first wife Princess Magdalena Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg (1691–1725) daughter of John Ernst, Count of Nassau-Weilburg.