This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. —the son of Gerard'; Old English Garret, German Gerhard; v. Jarratt. Adding together all the forms under J and G, Gerard is truly remarkable for the number of its variants. In Ireland Gerard and Gerald have become confused, and Fitz-Garrett and FitzGerald are said to be representatives of the same name and family (v. Yonge). It is possible the same confusion existed in England. In any case Gerard is distinct in origin from Gerald.

Johannes Gerard, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Thomas Gerard, 1379: ibid.

Gyrerd Tolus, 1379: ibid.

Adam Garet, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

'To Garrett Jonson, for shoes, xs. xd.' 'To Garratt Jonson, for sloes, iiij.': Hous. Exp., Princess Elizabeth (Cam. Soc).

Garret Hawkinson. Calendar of Proceedings in Chancery, temp. Elizabeth I.

Thomas Garard, or Garrarde, or Garrett, 1511: Register of the University of Oxford.

1678. Buried' — Garit Pender: Reg. Cheadle Ch., Cheshire.

'Here lyeth the body of Garrat Cocke, gentleman.' Epitaph, 1637: Brand's History of Newcastle-on-Tyne.

'Petition of Elizabeth Fitz-garrat,' 1583: Cal. State Papers (Domestic).

Garret Fitzgarret, 1586: ibid.

Prior Gerard became second abbot of Dryburgh, 1177 (ES., II, p. 297). Henricus filius Gerardi witnessed a charter by Robert Bruce, c. 1190 (Annandale, I, p. 1). Alexander Jerard was reader at Drumoak, 1574 (RMR.), and about the same time Thomas Gerart had an interest in Oldquhat, New Deer (Jervise, II, p. 227). This is the earliest record of the name in this district. Gerard also appears on the roll of lesser barons of Aberdeenshire, c. 1660, and in 1696 the name was more common in the parish of Aberdour (where it is still current) than in any other place in the county. Sir Thomas Gerard, "gentleman of his Ma privie chalmer," was admitted burgess of Aberdeen, 1617 (NSCM., I, p. 117). James Gyrerd is recorded in Ardmelie, 1765, and Peter Gerard in Craigiebrae of Auchintoull, parish of Marnoch, 1773 (Moray). Alexander M. Gerrard and George T. Gerrerd from Cruden were killed in the first Great War (Turriff). The name was introduced into Britain by the Normans from Teutonic Gerhard 'spear-power.'.

(Anglo-French-Teut.) Spear-Brave [Teutonic Gerhard: v. under Gerald, and + Old Saxon hard = O.H.Ger. hart = Old English h(e)ard = O.N, harð-r, hard, brave] Confused with Gerald, q.v.

(English) Descendant of Gerard or Gerald (spear, firm).

It has been decided legally (I) that Garrett and Gerald are but one name. Jacob, Law Dict., title Misnomer. But Garrett is a hamlet in Surrey, famous for its mock-mayor.

A Norman personal name, probably identical with Gerald. In the H.R. it is written Fil' Gerardi. The baronet's family derive their origin from the same ancestor as the Dukes of Leinster and many other noble houses, viz., from Other, Castellan of Windsor, temp. Edw. Confessor, whose grandson Gerard, or Gerald, had a son William Fitz-Gerard, who founded the Cheshire and Lancashire Gerards. The family have possessed Bryn, in the latter county, uninterruptedly from temp. Edw. III. Courthope's Debrett.

(Teutonic.) From Gar, all, and ard, nature; apt, docile; one ready to do or learn, amiable.

Ralph, Walter, Gerard, Gilbert, William Gerard, or Gerart of Normandy 1180-95 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). Many of the name in England c. 1272 (Rotuli Hundredorum).

Baronets. The origin of the family of Gerard, which had been derived from the Fitzgeralds, is traced by Ormerod (Cheshire, ii. 61) to William G., who was summoned from Lancaster to a great Council at Westminster 1324 (Parliamentary Writs), descended from William Fitz-Gerard of Hawarden, Flint, who m. the heiress of Kingsley, Cheshire. He is presumed to have been of the house of Montalt, barons of Hawarden, as his descendants bore the arms of Montalt with a bend for difference. See De la Mare.

(English), Gerhard (Gothic), Hard spear. (variant: Garibaldi.)

The Gerrards were an ancient and titled Cheshire family. The Lords Gerard of Gerards Bromley from the 16th to the 18th century were descended from the Gerards of Ince in Lancashire; the Gerards of Kingsley and Crewood came from Hawarden in Flintshire in the time of Edward I. (O.).

Gerrard or Gerard is a very old Lancashire name. The Gerards of Bryn were lords of the manor of Brindle from the 14th to the 16th century: this distinguished family stands amongst the foremost of the Lancashire families, both in early and in more recent times, and received a baronetcy from James I.: the Gerards of Gerard Hall, Aughton, in the 16th and 17th centuries, were probably a branch of the Gerards of Bryn (B.). Miles Gerrarde of this county contributed £25 to the Spanish Armada Fund in 1588 (Sp.). Sir George Gerard represented Preston in Parliament in 1628 (H.) The Cheshire Gerrards are referred to tinder that county. In the 13th century, Gerard was a name much more widely distributed than it is at present (H. R.).