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Gerard Family History

Gerard Name Meaning

French (Gérard) Walloon (mainly Gérard) and English (of Norman origin): from the personal name Gérard Gerard (from Old French Gerart Girart) composed of the ancient Germanic elements gēr ‘spear lance’ + hard ‘hardy brave strong’. As a surname of French origin it is also found in Haiti. Compare Garrard and also French Guerard English Garard Gerrard and Jarrard .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Gerald, Guerard, Herard, Gerhardt, Garard, Gerardi, Berard, Geary

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Gerard family from?

You can see how Gerard families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gerard family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gerard families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 165 Gerard families living in Ontario. This was about 55% of all the recorded Gerard's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Gerard families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gerard surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Gerard ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Cultivateur and Cultivateur were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Gerard. 16% of Gerard men worked as a Cultivateur and 7% of Gerard women worked as a Cultivateur. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gerard were Cultivateur and Mnagre. .

View Census Data for Gerard | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Cultivateur
    16%
  • Journalier
    15%
  • Journalier
    10%
  • Cultivateur
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Cultivateur
    7%
  • Institutrice
    7%
  • Journalier
    6%
  • Mnagre
    5%
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What Gerard family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 78,000 census records available for the last name Gerard. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gerard census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Gerard

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Gerard. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Gerard immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Gerard. For the veterans among your Gerard ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Gerard lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Gerard life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Gerard in 1940 was 45, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gerard

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