As for the last name Verne, it seems to come from french toponimy, since Verne is a common place name in France - according to
http://jeantosti.com/noms/v3.htm, the place name comes from the word 'verne', an old term that indicates a tree, the alder ('aune' in modern french).
Of course a well-known bearer of this last name is the french writer Jules Verne, considered as one of the pioneers of the science-fiction genre.