Surname Gerriets - Meaning and Origin

Gerriets: What does the surname Gerriets mean?

The last name Gerriets originates from the Netherlands, particularly the northern part of the country. The name is derived from the Dutch words 'Gerechtigheid' meaning 'justice' and 'rijk' meaning 'rich'. This suggests that the original bearer of the name was a person who was associated with justice and wealth.

It is thought to have originally been a locative surname, which is a type of name used to signify a particular place that the bearer of the name had come from or was associated with. In this case, it is likely that the original bearer of the name was a man of justice and great wealth from a respected and prosperous area.

However, the surname is considered to be very uncommon, even in the Netherlands. This could be due to migrations historically as people moved to areas of other countries around the world, taking their names with them.

In modern day, the name Gerriets is still associated with a wealthy, important man of justice. Those who bear the name today are proud of their heritage, especially in Holland where it is more commonly found than elsewhere.

Gerriets: Where does the name Gerriets come from?

The last name Gerriets is commonly found in Germany and parts of the Netherlands. It is thought to be derived from the old Germanic names "Gerhard" or "Gerhardus" which means brave with a spear.

In the Netherlands, the name is mainly found in the provinces of Friesland, Drenthe, and North Holland. In Germany, the name is mainly concentrated in the states of Rheinland-Pfalz, Nordrhein-Westfalen, and Niedersachsen, and is particularly common in the rural communities of these states.

In the US, the name is found among German-American immigrants of this same origin. Today, most US families with this surname are likely descendants of these German-speaking immigrants who arrived in America during the 19th and early 20th century.

Outside of Germany and the US, the surname is not especially common. It is known to be located in parts of Australia, Canada, and the US-associated Caribbean islands, most likely having been brought there by German-speaking immigrants in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Overall, Gerriets is a fairly uncommon surname, but it is still around and can be found in parts of Germany, the Netherlands, US, Canada, Australia, and other countries with ties to Germany.

Variations of the surname Gerriets

The surname Gerriets has some variants, spellings, and surnames that are of the same origin. The most common variant of the surname is Gerrits. Other variants of the surname include Gerrets, Gerretsen, Gerretsz, Gerrits, Geerretsen, Geerrits, Geerritsen, Geerritsz, Geerytsen, Geerytsz, Garretsen, Grantz, Greerits, Gregers, Grerrits, and Greertsz.

The most common spelling of the surname is Gerrits, and this spelling can often be found in Dutch records. Other spellings of the name often found in Dutch records include Gerretsz, Gerretzen, Geerrits, Geerritszen, Geerretsen, Geerytsz, Greerits and Greertsz.

The surnames Grantz, Gregers and Grerrits are also sometimes found in records from Europe. Although these surnames are from the same origin as Gerriets, it is likely that they were created only in the last few centuries and are not as ancient as the other variants.

The name Gerriets can also be found in records in other countries, usually as a variation of the spelling found in Dutch records. In German, the name can be found as Gerrets, Gerretsen, and Gerrits. In English, the name can be found as Garretson and Greerits.

The various spellings and surnames of this origin all derive from the given name Gerrit, which is a Dutch form of the Latin name Gerard. Therefore, all the spellings and surnames have the same origin and can be found throughout Europe in records from the last few centuries.

Famous people with the name Gerriets

• Graham Gerriets: He is an American Singer/Actor best known for his role on Broadway in Billy Elliot: The Musical playing the character Big Davey, as well as the original US tour.
• Arnold Gerriets: He is a Dutch former professional cyclist, who competed as a professional rider from 1981 to 1995. He won several professional races including the Ruta Mexico cycling stage race and the Dutch national championship.
• Walther Gerriets: He was a German World War II flying ace credited with 27 aerial victories. He was decorated with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded by Nazi Germany to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
• Manon Gerriets: She is a Dutch Paralympic swimmer who won multiple medals in the 2016 Paralympic Games and 2018 European Championships. She was awarded the Order of Orange-Nassau, a Dutch chivalric order which is awarded by the Netherlands to recognise outstanding service to the country and society.
• Raymond Gerriets: Raymond is an American Entrepreneur and Innovator who has worked on Wallstreet as a Technology Strategist, and has also launched multiple new startups such as Allgeeks, Lightbulb Media and Sidekick Solutions.
• Abbie Gerriets: Abbie is an American model and actress best known for her appearance in the television series Girls and in the film 'Solar Flares'.

Other surnames

GerrieGerrietz