Show ContentsGerbod History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Gerbod

What does the name Gerbod mean?

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change, including many immigrants with new names. Among these were the ancestors of the Gerbod family, whose name comes from the name Geribodo, a Germanic personal name composed of the elements geri, or gari, which means spear and bodo, which means messenger. Geribodo was the name of the 7th century saint who was Bishop of Bayeux. The name Gerbod was also a derivative of the Germanic personal name Geribald, which was composed of the elements geri, which again means spear, and bald, which means bold or brave. This name was borne by a 9th century saint who was the Bishop of Chalons-sur-Seine.

Early Origins of the Gerbod family

The surname Gerbod was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. Gherbode, was created Earl of Chester by Duke William of Normandy, after he had a conflict with the previous Earl, Earl Hugh, who was transferred to Carlisle Castle. Gherbode, also known as Gerbode the Fleming, was William's step-son. This Earl Gherbode or Gerbodo also held lands in Yorkshire.

Early History of the Gerbod family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gerbod research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1486 and 1790 are included under the topic Early Gerbod History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gerbod Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Garbutt, Garbut, Garbit, Garbitt, Garbet, Garbot, Garbott, Garbett, Garbed, Gabit, Gabut, Gabutt, Gerbot and many more.

Early Notables of the Gerbod family

  • Gerbode the Fleming, step-son to King William 1st, and Earl of Chester

Migration of the Gerbod family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Gerbod or a variant listed above: William Garbett, who sailed to Barbados in 1658; Thomas Garburt to Virginia in 1659; Peter Garbutt to West New Jersey in 1664; Richard Garbutt to Nova Scotia in 1774 with his wife and six children, and Robert James Garbutt to Texas in 1896..



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