Show ContentsGayhardt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Gayhardt family

The surname Gayhardt was first found in Devon where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 13th century when they held estates in that shire.

Early History of the Gayhardt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gayhardt research. Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1510, 1538, 1593, 1600, 1646, 1649, 1694, 1704 and 1711 are included under the topic Early Gayhardt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gayhardt Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Gayhardt include Gayre, Gair, Gayer, Gayar, Geyre, Geyer, Gere, Gear and many more.

Early Notables of the Gayhardt family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir John Gayer or Gayre (died 1649), English merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1646. "He belonged to a family originally seated at Liskeard, but afterwards at Trenbrace, in the parish of St. Keverne, Cornwall, was the...
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gayhardt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gayhardt family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Gayhardt or a variant listed above: Francis Gayer, who came to Virginia in 1635; Sampson Gayer, who arrived in Virginia in 1706; as well as Andrew Gayer, a bonded passenger who arrived in Virginia in 1718..



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