Surname Gourd - Meaning and Origin

Gourd: What does the surname Gourd mean?

The last name Gourd is a French surname which has its origins in the French word for gourd, gourde. The surname could have been used to denote someone who either created or sold items crafted from gourds, such as farm tools or bowls; or to indicate someone who was a maker or seller of items related to gourds, such as furniture. It may also be derived from the Old French word gourde which was a nickname for someone with a large, rounded body.

The surname is found quite prominently in France, especially in areas including the Provence and Auvergne regions. It can also be found in Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland, where it arrived with French-speaking immigrants or mercenaries.

It is possible that the surname was also used for a person who lived near or on a gourd-shaped landmark, such as a bend in a river, or that it was adopted by people from other countries whose language lacked its own word for gourd – such as peoples from the British Isles and Scandinavia.

Despite its varied possible origins, the surname Gourd does now carry a consistent meaning in modern times: it is a sign of history, of family, of a unique ancestry and a commitment to the preservation of ancestral culture.

Gourd: Where does the name Gourd come from?

The last name Gourd is most commonly found in France and other French-speaking countries, such as Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. It is also found in various regions in Italy, primarily in the north. Additionally, Gourd appears in small pockets in the United States and Canada, mostly in the eastern states and provinces.

The Gourd surname is derived from the medieval French word “gourd”, which means “thick skinned” or “tough”. It is thought to have been given to people with these qualities, or who had been in a position of authority.

The earliest recorded form of the name was “Gourde” from the Latin “gurdus”, and it appeared in French records as early as the 13th century. French bearers of the Gourd surname mostly come from the Lower Brittany area, where the surname is still most concentrated.

In Italy, Gourd is most concentrated in the regions of Liguria and Lazio. Emigration has seen the name disperse around the world, and it can be found in many other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Australia, and the United States.

In the US, the Gourd name was first recorded in New York in the mid-1800s. Bearers of the name settled in Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan, and it can still be found, though in small numbers, in all three states. Meanwhile, in Canada, records of the name first appear around the same time as in the US, and it’s still most common in the eastern provinces.

Variations of the surname Gourd

Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for Gourd include Gourde, Gordes, Gourdou, and Gourdot. All of these variations are found primarily in France and other French-speaking countries.

Gourd is derived from the Latin word "gutta," meaning "drop," and references the shape of the gourd fruit. It likely first appeared in France as a surname in the 12th century, likely with a noble beginning.

Gourd is an unusual, but popular surname in France today. It is common in southwestern California, due to the French-immigrant history in the area. The Gourd family, while widespread in France, is quite small compared to other French surnames.

Gorde is likely a variation of Gourd. The spelling appears throughout France and in Quebec, Canada and Algeria. It probably originated as a different variation of the surname, possibly by a relative or descendant of the original Gourd family.

Gourdou is a less common form of Gourd, likely a French adaptation of the original surname. It is usually used in the Auvergne region of France. Gourdot is a surname used mainly in the Tours region of France.

The variations of Gourd are a testament to the mobility of a family over time, and its adaptation to different regions. While all variations of Gourd likely originated from one original, noble family, much is unknown about its true origin.

Famous people with the name Gourd

• Roger Gourd: a French actor who starred in various films and television series throughout his career, including "A Man and a Woman", "The Trojan Horse" and "The Man Who Couldn’t Sleep".
• Mason Gourd: a British professional golfer, who currently competes on the European Tour.
• Jean-Luc Gourd: a French painter, sculptor and performance artist, known for his abstract and surrealist works.
• Stéphane Gourd: a French comedian, actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, widely recognized for his work with French comedy troupe Les Inconnus.
• Rufus Gourd: an American folk singer-songwriter, who first gained fame as a member of the popular folk-revival band The Kingston Trio in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
• Michel Gourd: a French poet, novelist, essayist and visual artist, best known for his works focusing on the individual's search for identity.
• Luc Gourd: a French designer, who worked on the de Aubusson brand of textiles, and designed a range of intricate carpets and tapestries.
• Albert Gourd: a French politician, who was a leading member of the National Front party and served as a deputy in the National Assembly from 2002-2012.
• Emmanuel Gourd: an American actor and filmmaker, widely known for his roles in horror films such as "House of Wax" and "Cabin in the Woods".
• Louis Gourd: a French mathematician and philosopher, best known for his work in mathematical logic, probability theory and set theory.

Other surnames

GourdenGourdonGourlayGourleyGournayGourneyGournyGourtey