Gailard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The family name Gailard dates back to the beginnings of the Norman culture in Britain - the Norman Conquest of 1066. Originally, Gailard was a name given to a happy, joyous, and bold person. The name Gailard derives from the nickname the galliard, which means the bold or the joyous. [1]

We note Chaucer's reference to the name in The Cook's Tale: 'Gaillard he was, as goldfinch in the shawe.'

Some presume the family originated in Normandy, France as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae listed Roger Golier of Normandy in 1198. [2]

Early Origins of the Gailard family

The surname Gailard was first found in the London area where the first record of the name was in the Latin form: Gaylardus in 1206. Later, Robert Gaylard was listed in 1225, and later again, John Galard was listed in 1232. [3]

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: John Gayllard, Cambridgeshire; William Gallard and John Galard in Oxfordshire. [4]

As a forename, we found Gaillarda Blome in the Close Roll, 5 Edward II and Gaylarde uxor Arnaldt de Puribus, Close Roll, 39 Henry III. The reader should note that ancient rolls always listed entries by the year of the king's reign. By example, 39, Henry III denotes during the thirty-ninth year of King Henry III's reign. [4]

Further to the north ion Scotland, "Reginaldus de Galard' witnessed a charter by Adam de Hastengis of the land of Kengildurs to the Abbey of Aberbrothoc, c. 1214-1226. John Galart or Gallard held the land of Keth Sywin or Swinis Keeth, Fife, in 1248, and Reginaldus de Gaillard is mentioned in connection with the land about the same date." [5]

Early History of the Gailard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gailard research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1426, 1341, 1667, 1675, 1676, 1351, 1687, 1749 and 1687 are included under the topic Early Gailard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gailard Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Gailard were recorded, including Gaylord, Gaillard, Galliard, Gaylor, Gayleard and others.

Early Notables of the Gailard family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Richard Gaillard and Hughes Gaillard, British Squires who bravely fought at the Combat of the Thirty on March 26th, 1351. John Ernest Galliard (1687?-1749), was a...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gailard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gailard family

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Gailard arrived in North America very early: John Gaylord who settled in Nantasket in 1630; William Gaylord settled there the same year.

Contemporary Notables of the name Gailard (post 1700) +

Gailard Sartain (b. 1946), American actor, a regular on the country music variety series Hee Haw and also known for his roles in three of the Ernest movies and the TV series Hey Vern, It's Ernest!

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)