Surname Gerardt - Meaning and Origin
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Gerardt: What does the surname Gerardt mean?
The last name Gerardt is of Dutch origin, and it has evolved over time in both spelling and meaning. In older texts it was commonly spelled Gerardts. The name is believed to be derived from the Middle Dutch gerard, which originally meant "dominant spear" and was a nickname given to a brave warrior. Over time, gerard became a given name, and when given name prefixes like 'van' or 'de' were used to create a patronymic, Gerardt was born.
Throughout history, people with the last name Gerardt have made an impact in many different fields. Dutch priest Peter Gerardts was a renowned painter in the 16th century and his works can be found in museums all around the world. Jan Gerardts, who lived in Amsterdam in the early 1700s, was a famous portrait painter and printmaker. Another notable Gerardt was Franciscus Gerardts, a lawyer and politician from Holland.
The surname Gerardt continues to be an important part of Dutch culture today. Its meaning has also evolved from “dominant spear” to a representation of the family’s experience and legacy. Those with this last name carry this legacy with them wherever they may go.
Order DNA origin analysisGerardt: Where does the name Gerardt come from?
The last name Gerardt is a French localized surname originating in Germany. It is mainly found in the Northern regions of France today. The first time this surname was found to be in use was in the 11th century in Germany. It has an uncertain origin, some believe it was derived from the Germanic name Garawolf, while others link it to the Old High German word 'ger', meaning spear. It is also commonly found in the United States, mainly in the Midwestern states.
In terms of population density, the last name Gerardt is most common in France, with records showing its earliest use in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté area. It is the 74th most common name in France. In the United States, the last name Gerardt is ranked as the 5,042nd most common name, and is most prevalent in Illinois and Minnesota. It is also commonly found in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Denmark.
The Gerardt name is known to be an old French family surname, and it is relatively rare in most of the world. France remains the most populous country where the surname is found. In the United States, the last name Gerardt can be found primarily in the Midwestern states, and is becoming increasingly common.
Variations of the surname Gerardt
The surname Gerardt has many variant spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include: Garaard, Garad, Garar, Garards, Garatt, Garay, Garbart, Garber, Garbett, Garceau, Garceault, Garceaux, Garcia, Garrard, Garrey, Garritt, Garrity, Garrord, Garrod, Garrot, Garroway, Garrrett, Garroy, Garrotte, Garroutte, Garrard, Garratt, Garrity, Garrord, Gart, Gartee, Gartes, Gartey, Garth, Garty, Gerar, Geray, Gerald, Geralt, Gerard, Gerards, Gerardt, Gerart, Geray, Gerrad, Gerradt, Gerrerd, Gerrett, Gerrit, Gerrod, Gerrot, Gerroy, Gerrum, Gersh, Gerth, Gherard, Gherardo, Gerrard, Gerrett, Girouard, Girouette, Giroux.
Surnames of a similar sound to Gerardt can also include Girard, Girault, Girouard, Giroux and Girardeau.
Gerardt is derived from the ancient Germanic name Gerard, which means 'Brave Spearman'. The original spelling of the name was Gerhard. This name is most commonly found in Germany, the Netherlands, France and England and is likely to have been introduced in the 12th century with the Norman Conquest of England.
The spelling of Gerardt as a surname can depend on where it is used in Europe- for instance, the variant Gerardt is much more common in the Netherlands than in Germany or the United Kingdom. In the United States, the surname is usually spelled as Garret, Gerhart, Garard, Garwood or Garet.
Famous people with the name Gerardt
- Gerard as-Tesson: French medieval composer and musician of the 15th century.
- Charles-Marie Widor: famous French organist and composer, son of the organist and composer François-Charles Widor and Louise Eugénie Puissant
- Gerard Ter Borch: influential Dutch Golden Age genre painter
- Bernard Gerardt: Dutch sport shooter who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics
- Hubertus Gerardt: 17th-century Dutch philosopher and theologian
- Lia Gerardt: Dutch singer and songwriter
- Karel Perry Gerardt: artist and illustrator active during the first half of the 20th century
- Josef Gerardt: 18th-century German pastor
- Kees Gerardt: Dutch artist and architect
- Alex Gerardt: Dutch sailboat and yacht designer and builder