Surname Gurd - Meaning and Origin
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Gurd: What does the surname Gurd mean?
The surname Gurd is of English origin. It is derived from the Old English words for ‘enclosure’ and ‘patron’, and is believed to be an occupational surname first found in Yorkshire. It is also an ancient Anglo-Saxon name meaning 'from the enclosure', and may also be found spelled as Gord or Gorde.
Gurd is, by its very meaning, a name that suggests strength and protection. The first Gurds must have lived in an ‘enclosure’. This could have been a fortified town, a castle (or even a prison), or a collection of tenements where the people living there were protected by walls and gates. The Gurds may have acted as guardians of their community.
The Gurds can therefore be associated with the idea of protection and guardianship, caring not only for their own family but for those who lived within the walls. Ideally, they would have demonstrated good judgement and wisdom in their decision-making for their own people and those who came to them for help.
Today, Gurd is still held to be a strong name, implying strength and resoluteness. It is not a name one might find in the pages of high society but rather one which is strong and reliable. It's a name that engenders loyalty among its holders, one which stands strong in the face of danger and difficulty.
Order DNA origin analysisGurd: Where does the name Gurd come from?
The last name Gurd is most commonly found in present-day England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. There is also a significant presence of the Gurd surname in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Since Gurd is an anglicized variant of the Gaelic name MacGiolla Mhuire, which translates to "son of the servant of Mary," it is primarily found in countries with Celtic ancestry.
In the United Kingdom, the last name Gurd is most common in England but is also found in Scotland and Wales. This is likely due to the fact that English and Scottish immigrants brought the Gurd surname to the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Gurd surname is also found in France, as a result of the migration of Norman families to the region in the 11th century. The Gurd surname is also found in Germany, most commonly in the states of Bavaria, Brandenburg, and Baden-Wurttemberg.
Although the last name Gurd is relatively uncommon, it can be found in a variety of countries. Those with this surname can trace their family's roots to the days of old, where their ancestors first established their name.
Variations of the surname Gurd
The surname Gurd is of ancient Anglo-Saxon roots, derived from the Old English family name gyrd or gyrde, meaning ‘guard’ or ‘watchman’. The name is still common today in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and has been found to have other variants and spellings.
Variants and spellings of Gurd include Gird, Girde, Garrd, Gaird, Geard, Girrde, and Gurrd. Gird and Garrd are the most common variants and spellings, followed by Gaird and Geard.
Surnames of similar origin, other than Gurd, include Gard, Garde, Gaurd, Gart, Garte, Gaerde, Gorder, Gardner, Garred, Garnard, Greer, and Gerrad. All of these surnames have similarities to Gurd, as they are derived from the same Old English words for ‘guard’ and ‘watchman’.
All in all, Gurd is a surname of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin, with many variants and spellings, as well as surnames of similar derivation. While many of these variants and similar surnames are still found in England, Scotland, and Ireland, the surname Gurd itself is in scarce use today.
Famous people with the name Gurd
- JD Gurd, an Australian rules footballer who played for St Kilda in the late 1880s.
- Will Gurd, a professional hockey player who is currently playing in the ECHL for the Allen Americans.
- Sarah Gurd, a business coach and podcast host who focuses on helping aspiring entrepreneurs get their start.
- Hilary Gurd, an English novelist and poet who wrote six novels and numerous short stories.
- Arthur Gurd, a civil engineer and inventor who gained fame for his design of the retractable railway bridge in London.
- Tomy Gurd, a contemporary artist best known for his large scale oil paintings.
- Bill Gurd, an American golfer who won the U.S. Open in 1965.
- J. Murray Gurd, a philosopher, professor and Anglican priest who specialized in the philosophy of the mind and language.
- Dinesh Gurd, an Indian basketball player and former sprinter who is currently playing professionally in the Indian Basketball League.
- Grant Gurd, a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist best known for his inventive combination of folk, blues and funk.