About the Garret Surname

Spelling was not fixed until the modern era, so Garrett could easily become Garret. At root, the name means “Spear-hard or spear-rule (from Gerard or Gerald)”.

Garret drops the “t” of Garrett, a shortening that clerks often made. Regional accents shaped spellings long before dictionaries fixed them. Related forms: Garred, Garratt and Garatt.

Names that sound alike, such as Garrity, are easily confused in old records.

Looking for a Garret coat of arms? Arms were granted to families, not to surnames, and our research shows which heraldic tradition fits yours. Want more than a summary? See the Garret family name pack.