Gerber History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Israel

The surname Gerber is occupational in nature. Occupational names were derived from the common trades of the medieval era and transcended European cultural and linguistic boundaries. This phenomenon is demonstrated by names such as the German name Schumaker, which means a maker of shoes, the Ashkenazic Jewish name Zimmerman, which means carpenter, and the Polish and Jewish name Stolarski, which means joiner. Similarly, surnames of office, which include military, judicial, papal and other positions of authority, are widespread throughout Europe. Those who were involved in the military, or feudal armies, were given names such as the English Archer and the French Chevalier. Names that were derived from judicial and papal titles, such as Bailiffe, Squire and Abbott, are commonly seen with the same surname spelling today. The name Gerber is derived from the Old German word "ledargarawo," meaning "leather preparer" which later became "gerwer" and "gerber." Accordingly, the original bearer of this name held the trade of a leather tanner.

Early Origins of the Gerber family

The surname Gerber was first found in Silesia, where this family was established in the Middle Ages.

Early History of the Gerber family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gerber research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1591, 1667, 1702, 1728, 1731, 1746, 1749, 1775, 1790, 1818, 1823 and 1891 are included under the topic Early Gerber History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gerber Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gerbe, Gherber, Gherbe, Gurber, Gurbe, Ghurber and many more.

Early Notables of the Gerber family

Notables of the period with the surname Gerber were

Heinrich Nicolaus Gerber, born 1702 in the principality of Schwarzburg; son of a peasant, studied at the University of Leipzig, where his love of music found encouragement in the teaching and conversa...
Ernst Ludwig Gerber (b.1746), was a court organist and wrote "Das Tonkuenstlerlexikon" ("The Who is Who of Composers"). Karl Friedrich von Gerber (1823-1891) was a prominent German lawyer and statesma...

Gerber World Ranking

In the United States, the name Gerber is the 2,500^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Gerber is ranked the 1,888^th most popular surname with an estimated 3,266 people with that name. 2 And in South Africa, the name Gerber is the 468^th popular surname with an estimated 15,194 people with that name. 3

Gerber migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gerber Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jacob Gerber, who arrived in New York in 1709 4
Claus Gerber, who landed in America in 1731 4
Hans Jacob Gerber, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 4
Joh Jacob Gerber, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 4
Michael Gerber, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1734 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gerber Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mr. Gerber, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1805 4
Mrs. Gerber, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1805 4
Peter Gerber, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1836 4
Vic Gerber, aged 68, who landed in America in 1840 4
Leb Gerber, aged 3, who landed in America in 1840 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gerber migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Gerber Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Arnold Gerber, English convict from London, who was transported aboard the "Adelaide" on April 16, 1855, settling in Western Australia 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Gerber (post 1700) +

Joel Gerber (1940-2022), American judge of the United States Tax Court
Stephen Ross "Steve" Gerber (1947-2008), American comic book writer, co-creator of the character Howard the Duck
Michael E. Gerber (b. 1936), American author and founder of Michael E. Gerber Companies
Frank Daniel Gerber (1873-1952), American manufacturer of baby food, founded Fremont Canning Company in 1901, father of Daniel Gerber
Daniel "Dan" Frank Gerber (1898-1974), American founder of the baby food enterprise Gerber Products Company
Paul Gerber (1854-1909), German physicist, known for his controversial work on the speed of gravity
Heinrich Gerber (1832-1912), renowned German engineer and a pioneer in the construction of cantilevers
Heiko Gerber (b. 1972), German footballer
Ernst Ludwig Gerber (1746-1819), German composer, author
Christoph Gerber, Swiss professor at the Department of Physics, University of Basel, Switzerland, co-inventor of the atomic force microscope
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
"Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 17) Adelaide voyage to Western Australia, Australia in 1855 with 261 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adelaide/1855