| ![Show Contents]() Garde History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
When the Stongbow settlers arrived in Ireland, they quickly learned that the Irish had a pre-established system of hereditary surnames. The name Garde is an occupational surname, which was primarily from the Anglo-Norman culture. There were a few Irish occupational names, however, previous to the arrival of the Strongbownians, so this Anglo-Norman tradition was not too incongruous within the island. Occupational surnames were derived from a word describing the actual job done by the initial name bearer. The Strongbownians frequently prefixed these names with the French word le, meaning the, but this custom quickly died out in Ireland. The surname Garde came from a common occupational name for a valued military officer. The surname Garde is derived from the expression Unicus Est. According to tradition, during the bitter 13th century feuds between the two powerful Anglo-Norman families of the Fitzgeralds and the Butlers, a Commander who sought help to secure a position pointed to a particularly valued captain and said Unicus Est, which means Hei is the only one to undertake this service. The name Garde was also used as a synonym. Early Origins of the Garde familyThe surname Garde was first found in County Cork (Irish: Corcaigh) the ancient Kingdom of Deis Muin (Desmond), located on the southwest coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from ancient times, soon after the Anglo Norman Conquest of Ireland by Strongbow in 1172 A.D. That this family name were Norman mercenaries seems reasonably clear. In the bitter 13th century feuds between the Fitzgeralds and the Butlers it is said that a commander, seeking help to secure a position, pointed to one of the captains and said, 'Unicus Est', meaning 'He is the only one to undertake this service'. Hence this expression not only became the family motto but it also became the basis and origin of the family name itself, Uniacke. Later some used Gard as a synonym. Early History of the Garde familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Garde research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1976 is included under the topic Early Garde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Garde Spelling VariationsDuring an investigation of the origin of each name, it was found that church officials and medieval scribes spelled many surnames as they sounded. Therefore, during the lifetime of a single person, a name could be spelt numerous ways. Some of the spelling variations for the name Garde include Uniacke, Uniake, Uniack, Uniak, Garde, Gard and others. Early Notables of the Garde familyMore information is included under the topic Early Garde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Garde RankingIn France, the name Garde is the 1,843rd most popular surname with an estimated 3,333 people with that name. 1
 Garde migration to the United States | + |
Ireland went through one of the most devastating periods in its history with the arrival of the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. Many also lost their lives from typhus, fever and dysentery. And poverty was the general rule as tenant farmers were often evicted because they could not pay the high rents. Emigration to North America gave hundreds of families a chance at a life where work, freedom, and land ownership were all possible. For those who made the long journey, it meant hope and survival. The Irish emigration to British North America and the United States opened up the gates of industry, commerce, education and the arts. Early immigration and passenger lists have shown many Irish people bearing the name Garde:
Garde Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Roger Garde, who landed in New England in 1644 2
- Jean Garde, who landed in South Carolina in 1679 2
Garde Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Jean DeLa Garde, who arrived in Louisiana in 1719 2
| Garde migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Garde Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. Charles Garde, (b. 1800), aged 20, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 6th April 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
- H.W. Garde, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lord Goderich" in 1838 4
- Bridget Garde, aged 18, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Elgin" in 1849 5
- Mr. William H. Garde, (b. 1862), aged 21, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Duke of Westminster" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 23rd June 1885 6
| Garde 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: Garde Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Christopher Garde, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ocean Mail" in 1875
| Garde migration to West Indies | + |
The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 7Garde Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century- Alexander DeLa Garde, aged 27, who arrived in Barbados in 1635 2
| Contemporary Notables of the name Garde (post 1700) | + |
- Harold Garde (1923-2022), American abstract expressionist painter, known for his Strappo technique
- Andrew E. Garde, American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Cromwell; Elected 1910 8
- 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)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LORD GODERICH 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838LordGoderich.htm
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ELGIN 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Elgin.htm
- Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_queensland.pdf
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
|
Garde migration to the United States 
Garde migration to Australia 
Garde migration to New Zealand 
Garde migration to West Indies 
England
Ireland
