Show ContentsGuender History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Guender surname is derived from the Norman personal name Gunter, which came in turn from the Old French Gontier.

Early Origins of the Guender family

The surname Guender was first found in Breconshire (Welsh: Sir Frycheiniog), a traditional county in southern Wales, which takes its name from the Welsh kingdom of Brycheiniog (5th-10th centuries), where they held a family seat on the Welsh border. The Celtic resistance north and south along the border of Wales and England was considerably increased after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The Normans met more resistance from the Welsh than in the rest of England. The Welsh fought from behind their hills and mountains and tenaciously held their ground. Finally, Edward 1st, to placate this founding nation, conferred the principality of Wales upon his eldest son, who became Edward II. This brought Wales into England as an equal while the King was alive, and integral part of the royal title when on the throne. Edward III confirmed and all Princes of Wales were presented to the Welsh people at Caernarvon Castle. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Welsh surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 13th century when they held estates in that shire.

Early History of the Guender family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Guender research. Another 182 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1076, 1084, 1135, 1141, 1205, 1214, 1406, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1559, 1562, 1581, 1600, 1603, 1604 and 1626 are included under the topic Early Guender History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Guender Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gunter, Gunther, Gonton, Guynton, Goynton, Guynter, Gounter, Gaunter, Gawnter, Guntier, Guntar, Gonton, Gunbert and many more.

Early Notables of the Guender family

More information is included under the topic Early Guender Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Guender migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Guender Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Guender, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1864 1

Canada Guender migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Guender Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Cornelius Guender, who landed in Manitoba in 1874


  1. 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)


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