Contents [hide]

Gard History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Gard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Gard family

The surname Gard 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 Gard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gard 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 Gard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gard Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Gard are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Gard include: Gard, Guard, Garde, Guarde and others.

Early Notables of the Gard 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 so...
Samuel Dugard (1645?-1697), was an English divine, son of Thomas Dugard, M.A., rector of Barford, Warwickshire, by Anne his wife, was born at Warwick in or about 1645, his father being at the time hea...

Gard Ranking

In the United States, the name Gard is the 8,058^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Gard is ranked the 5,614^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2

Gard migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Gard or a variant listed above:

Gard Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Margaret Gard, aged 24, who landed in Virginia in 1635 3
Miss Margaret Gard, (b. 1611), aged 24, British settler traveling aboard the ship "Safety" arriving in Virginia in 1635 4

Gard Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Robert Gard, who landed in Virginia in 1700 3

Gard Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Juan Gard, aged 57, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1829 3
Manuel G Gard, aged 8, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1829 3
Peter Gard, who arrived in Indiana in 1840 3
Q J Gard, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 3
Miss Gard, who arrived in America in 1856 3

Gard migration to Australia +

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

Gard Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Bennett Gard, English convict from Wiltshire, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on July 3, 1822, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 5
William Gard, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cleveland" in 1839 6
Elizabeth Gard, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cleveland" in 1839 6
Thomas Gard, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cressy" in 1847 7
Richard Gard, aged 18, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Lord Raglan" 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gard migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Gard Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. J. Gard, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merchantman' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand and Auckland New Zealand on 6th September 1855 9
Frederic Gard, aged 24, a farm labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ocean Mail" in 1875
William George Gard, aged 25, a plasterer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rodney" in 1875
Sarah A. Gard, aged 21, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rodney" in 1875
Miss Edith Louisa Gard, (b. 1859), aged 18, Cornish general servant departing on 31st July 1877 aboard the ship "Otaki" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 4th November 1877 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Gard (post 1700) +

Major-General Robert Gibbins Gard (1899-1983), American Commanding General VII Corps (1957-1959) 11
Warren Gard (1873-1929), American Democratic Party politician, Common Pleas Court Judge in Ohio, 1907-12; U.S. Representative from Ohio 3rd District, 1913-21; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1924, 1928 12
Thomas Gard, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 2000 12
Seth Gard (1775-1845), American politician, Delegate to Illinois State Constitutional Convention from Edwards County, 1818 12
Oliver Gard, American Republican politician, Chair of Clinton County Republican Party, 1905 12
Nancy Gard, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1948 12
Jess Gard, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Oregon, 1960 12
Beverly Gard, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Indiana, 2000 12
Trevor Gard (b. 1957), former English first-class cricketer
Robert Joseph Gard OBE (1927-2021), British-born Australian operatic tenor from Cornwall, a leading singer with Opera Australia
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Gard family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Johannes Gard (1869-1914), Norwegian Third Class Passenger from Stavanger, Norway who survived the sinking on the Empress of Ireland 13

The Gard 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 +

"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/
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)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved October 5th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 155 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1822
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CLEVELAND 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Cleveland.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CRESSY 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Cressy.htm
South Australian Register Friday February 7th, 1856. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Lord Raglan 1856. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/lordraglan1856.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Auckland 1872-80 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 5) Robert Gard. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Gard/Robert_Gibbins/USA.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 16) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html