Gerd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Early Origins of the Gerd family
The surname Gerd was first found in Kent 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 year 1275 when Richard and John Gard held Lands.
Early History of the Gerd family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gerd research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1605, 1606, 1645, 1662 and 1697 are included under the topic Early Gerd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Gerd Spelling Variations
Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Gerd have been found, including Gard, Guard, Garde, Guarde and others.
Early Notables of the Gerd family
Distinguished members of the family include William Dugard, or Du Gard, (1606-1662), English schoolmaster and printer who printed many important documents and propaganda, first in support of Charles I and later of Oliver Cromwell. He was the son of the Rev. Henry Dugard and was born at the Hodges, Bromsgrove...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gerd Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Gerd migration to the United States +
Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Gerd, or a variant listed above:
Gerd Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Ernst W Gerd, who landed in America in 1836 1
- Herm W Gerd, who landed in America in 1836 1
- Joh W Gerd, who arrived in America in 1839 1
- Fr W Gerd, who landed in America in 1840 1
- Eberh Heinr Gerd, who arrived in America in 1845 1
Contemporary Notables of the name Gerd (post 1700) +
- Gerd Bauer (1950-2023), German politician who served in the Landtag of Saarland from 1994 to 2001
- Gerd Harriet Linnéa Nordlund (1954-2023), Swedish-Sami actress, screenwriter and author
- Gerd Gies (b. 1943), German politician, 1st Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt (1990-1991)
- Gerd Zimmermann (1949-2022), German footballer who played nine seasons in the Bundesliga with Borussia Mönchengladbach, SC Fortuna Köln and Fortuna Düsseldorf
- Gerd Zacher (1929-2014), German composer, organist, and writer on music who specialized in contemporary compositions, many of which feature extended techniques, and are written in graphic or verbal scores
- Gerd Ruge (1928-2021), German journalist, author and filmmaker
- Gerd Friedrich Bollmann (1947-2017), German politician
- Gerd Bohner (b. 1959), German professor of social psychology at Bielefeld University
- Gerd Hessler (b. 1948), East German gold and silver medalist cross-country skier in the 1970s
- Gerd Ernst Mäuser (b. 1958), German businessman, president of VfB Stuttgart from 2011 to 2013
The Gerd Motto +
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Toujours fidele
Motto Translation: Always faithful.
Citations +
- 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)