Surname Gontard - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'G'
Gontard: What does the surname Gontard mean?
The last name Gontard is of French origin and is derived from the Old French personal name Gontard, which was first recorded in 1250. The origin of this name is uncertain, though it could possibly have been derived from the words gont (a conical helmet) and hard (brave, bold).
The surname Gontard is quite rare and appears mainly in regions of France and some other parts of Europe including Germany, Spain, and Portugal. Records of the Gontard surname have been found mainly in the regions of Champagne, Alsace, and Lorraine in the North East of France.
The earliest record found of the Gontard surname was that of Jean Gontard in 1380, from Deux-Sèvres, France. Gontard was first used as a given name in the late 11th century, primarily in the South of France. It has been known to have been used as a personal name in the locations of Languedoc, Montpellier, Poitou, and Dauphiné.
The Gontard surname is derived from a nickname, and is intended to convey something of the personality or character of its bearer. In its origins, it likely referred to someone who was brave, daring, or even possibly reckless.
Order DNA origin analysisGontard: Where does the name Gontard come from?
The last name Gontard is most commonly found in France today. It is a French toponymic surname, meaning it originates from a place name. Specifically, Gontard is derived from a geographic location in the Poitou-Charentes region of France. It is an old French family name, first documented in the year 1215.
In addition, the Gontard name is found in the French diaspora in Canada, Belgium and Switzerland. The Gontard name is not common outside of these countries and regions, however, it is possible to find individuals with this name in other parts of the world although it is rare.
For anyone seeking additional information about the Gontard name, there are currently a few genealogical societies and websites which track the name and its variations. These sites specialize in helping individuals to trace their ancestral family lines which are linked to the Gontard name.
Overall, the last name Gontard is most frequently found today in France, with a small presence in other French-speaking countries as well as other parts of the world. For those looking to trace their own Gontard ancestry, online sites and societies can be of great assistance.
Variations of the surname Gontard
The surname Gontard can have various spellings and variants, depending on the region. Common spellings and variants include Gontard, Gontarz, Gontardt, Gontardz, Gontar, Gontars and Gontarski. In the US, spellings may also be seen as Gontar, Gontarz and Gontardz.
Gontard is a French toponymic surname and is likely a variant of the surname Gontier or its Picard form Gontia. The surname is derived from the Old French gontier meaning ‘plough’ or ‘carriage’. In Germany, a spelling of gontard is seen as Gontar; whilst in Italy it is known as Gontardini.
Other related variants to the surname Gontard exist in the Slavic countries under the surnames such as Gontarz, Gontarski, Gontar and Gonter. Gontarski is a Polish name and Gontar is a Montenegrin name.
In some cases, Gontard also exists as an adopted name, derived from the patronymic surname of Gont or Gontier, where logos of the original bearer combined with changing phonetics result in the name being recorded differently. These variants may include Gont, Gontier, Gontiers, Gontiere, Gontieres and Gontierez.
The surname is common in both France and Germany, with the highest concentration of the name reported in Bavaria. So much so, that the people living in the region are often referred to as Gontarders. It is also found in the United States and other countries such as Canada, England, Italy and Australia.
Famous people with the name Gontard
- Joseph-Carl Gontard (1725–1790), German music theorist, composer, and acting Kapellmeister in the court orchestra of Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
- Armand Gontard (1649–1726), French Baroque painter
- August Gontard Jr (1822–1902), German landscape painter
- August Gontard Sr (1786–1848), German landscape painter
- Emile Gontard (1845–1913), French politician
- Felix Gontard (1829–1897), French poet, playwright and writer
- Jacques Gontard (1799–1883), French painter
- Karl Gontard (1827–1904), German lithographer and architect
- Martin Gontard (1783–1845), French painter
- Paul Gontard (1845–1914), French lawyer and political historian
- Wilhelm Gontard (1793–1860), German landscape painter