Surname Gerhart - Meaning and Origin
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Gerhart: What does the surname Gerhart mean?
The last name Gerhart is of German origin, and its meaning is "spear-strong." The name is thought to have originated during the medieval era in areas such as Germany and Austria. It was most likely created as a toponymic surname—a name derived from the name of a place or region—for people who were originally from the region known as Görlitz. The name could also have been inspired by a person's physical strength or by the occupation of a spear maker.
As a surname, Gerhart is derived from the Germanic words "ger", meaning "spear," and "hardu", meaning "strong" or "hard". Together, they form the compound meaning "spear-strong" or "having a strong spear." The name also appears to have been extended with the addition of the German suffix "hart", making it "Gerhardt".
In Germany and other German-speaking countries, there are several variations of the name Gerhart, such as "Gerhartz," "Goerhardt," and "Goerhartz". Variations of the name are also present in countries where German immigrants settled in large numbers, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.
The last name Gerhart is often associated with a strong sense of family. Most families with this name have a long and proud history, with generations of strength, hard work and loyalty. Even today, the name is associated with resilience and power.
Order DNA origin analysisGerhart: Where does the name Gerhart come from?
The last name Gerhart is most common amongst those of German descent, and is particularly popular in the United States and Canada. Within the U.S., Pennsylvania is considered to have the highest population of Gerharts. The northern state is known for having had a large influx of immigrants from Germany in the 18th and 19th centuries, making it a popular destination of settlement.
Further south, Ohio is also considered a hotbed of German-American culture, where the last name Gerhart is relatively common. In Canada, Ontario is the province with the highest concentration of individuals with the last name Gerhart, likely due to its high level of German immigration in the late 19th century.
In German-speaking countries, today there is only a limited presence of the last name Gerhart. It is mostly prominent in Baden-Württemberg, a region located in the Southwest of the country that was the traditional homeland of many German families.
Outside of these areas, the last name Gerhart is not overly common, however it can still be found in small pockets throughout the Western world. It may be encountered in places from Australia to the Netherlands and everywhere in between, connected by name to a wide network of German-speaking ancestors that have moved around the world.
Variations of the surname Gerhart
The surname Gerhart is an older form of the name Gerard with variants, spellings and surnames of similar origin being Gerhard, Gerrath, Gerritt and Gehrt.
Gerhart is a Germanic name meaning ‘brave’, ‘powerful’ or ‘strong’. It is derived from the Frankish name Gerard which comes from the Germanic elements ger (spear) and hart (brave or hardy).
Variants of the surname Gerhart include Garhart, Jarratt, Garret, Garriott, Garrit, Gerrety, Gehrty, Gerthey, Gerrick, Gerrickd, Gertz and Gerte.
Anglicised versions of Gerhart include Gart, Gert and Garratt.
Regional spellings of Gerhart include Gerharde, Gherard, Gherardi, Gerhardin, Garotti, Garrotte, Jarrat and Jarrot.
French variants of Gerhart include Gerard, Girard, Guirard, Jerard, Geralt, Girardet, Gery, Garot and Gerardin.
Italian variants are Girardini, Girardi, Gherardi and Gerardi, while Spanish ones include Garay, Garayo and Gerardo.
Portugese variants are Geraldo or Giraldo and in Finland, Gerhard is sometimes found.
Hyphenated names include Geerhart, Gerhard-Uhl and Gerhart-Uhl.
Common surnames from Gerhart include Garrard, Gerhards, Gerhardson, Gherard and Gerhardsson.
Other anglicised versions of the surname include Garrad, Gehrkens, Jehring, Jerrard, Garrod, Gerardson, Garren and Garrings.
In the Netherlands, Gerrertsz is another variant and variants of Gerhart found in Poland include Gierczak, Gierczy and Gierlak.
The Yiddish name Gershowitz is derived from Gerhart, as is the Dutch version Gerets.
Famous people with the name Gerhart
- Al Gerhart: American stuntman, actor, climber, and stunt coordinator
- Annie Gerhart: American author
- Barney Gerhart: Former Major League Baseball catcher
- Christian Gerhart: German writer and scholar
- Ed Gerhart: Former professional American football player
- Faith Gerhart: Actress credited in films from the 1940s and 1950s
- Henry H Gerhart: Former American football player
- J. Ammon Gerhart: American theologian and Christian apologist
- John Gerhart: American lawyer and government official
- Kathryn Gerhart: American actress
- Kyle Gerhart: Former NFL football player
- Morgan Gerhart: Canadian sportscaster and interviewer
- Robert Gerhart: American Civil War soldier
- Tom Gerhart: American baseball player
- William J. Gerhart: Former United States Marine Corps officer and airman