The Gérard Coat of Arms and Name Meaning
Discover the meaning of Gérard, its origins in France, and the story behind a Gérard family crest.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Gérard coat of arms for you.
Origin of the Gérard name
Gérard comes from the Germanic given name Gerhard, from gēr, "spear", and hard, "hardy, brave". It was popular in the Middle Ages throughout northern France and the Low Countries. The surname is especially common in eastern France, in Lorraine and the Vosges, and in Belgium and Quebec.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Gérard name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Gérard name in France. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as Belgium, Canada and Switzerland; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Gérard family history
The complete Gérard pack goes much further: documented origins, early records and family spread, plus a hand-checked coat of arms.
Gérard name FAQ
What does the Gérard name mean?
Brave with the spear. Common variants include Girard, Géraud, Gerhard.
Where does the Gérard surname come from?
It originates in France, and is also found in Belgium, Canada and Switzerland.
Is there a Gérard coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Gérard crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Gérard coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Albert Dauzat & Marie-Thérèse Morlet, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).