Surname Gertjegerdes - Meaning and Origin
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Gertjegerdes: What does the surname Gertjegerdes mean?
The last name Gertjegerdes is a Dutch-origin, patronymic surname meaning “son of Gert.” It is derived from a short form or nickname of a Germanic personal name made up of two elements: “ger”, meaning “spear” and “gerd”, meaning “protection”. The name Gert thus translates to “The Spear Protector” which likely refers to a particular individual's grandfather, father, or even great-grandfather. Historically, this last name could have been used to distinguish one man from another, either within the same extended family or within a village. Furthermore, the addition of the suffix “erde” means “son of” in Dutch, so Gertjegerdes could also refer to a descendant of Gert.
The Gertjegerdes family has a long history in the Netherlands, where its surname and variants (Gertzgerdes, Gertsgerdes and Gertsjegerdes) are all derived from within the Dutch province of Gelderland. The earliest recording of the surname within Dutch archives dates back to 1311, with the christening of Hermannis Ghert.
Today, the Gertjgerdes name is found primarily among Dutch-speaking settlements in the Netherlands, as well as in Dutch diaspora communities throughout Europe and North America. The name is extremely rare globally, with just over 1,700 people in the world bearing the surname in one form or another. As such, the surname is increasingly indicative of its Dutch heritage, and provides a tangible connection to the Gertjegerdes family’s historical roots in the Netherlands.
Order DNA origin analysisGertjegerdes: Where does the name Gertjegerdes come from?
Gertjegerdes is an uncommon last name, but it does have some distribution in modern day America. While it is not widespread, there are a few concentrations of Gertjegerdes families. The largest concentration can be found in Minnesota, with a few other clusters in Michigan, California, and Wisconsin.
As far as origin goes, the earliest records of Gertjegerdes family members can be found in East Germany, branching out from the regions of Schleswig-Holstein and Oldenburg in the 1700s. Over the years, family members moved and eventually resided in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
The name Gertjegerdes may be derived from the German word bergesteuerung meaning “land tax” or “tithing”, implying an occupation related to the assessment of taxes in the past. Over time, the name evolved with spelling changes, most commonly being Amergerdes to account for the thick accent of German immigrants.
In terms of commonality in the present-day, Gertjegerdes is not a widely used name; it is estimated that there are fewer than a thousand living Gertjegerdes family members in America and fewer than a hundred worldwide. However, with relatives scattered around the world, the Gertjegerdes name does represent a shared heritage amongst a small community of people.
Variations of the surname Gertjegerdes
Gertjegerdes is a German surname originating from the Westphalian region of Germany. It is believed to derive from the first name Gert (short for Gerhard) combined with the ‘jäger’ suffix, meaning hunter or huntsman. As German was the language of the majority of Europe until the late 1800s, the surname has various spellings based on the region it was adopted.
Common variants of the surname include Gertjager, Gertjäger, Geertjager, Geertjäger, Gertjegerdes, Gertjegerdse, Gertjegerds and Gertjegerdse. In an anglicised version, the name can also be spelled Gertyedgers or Gertyedger. Less common variants include Gertjedom and Gertjerdse.
The surname also has various spelling variations within the United States. As the country has seen a major influx of immigrants over the past few centuries, the spelling of this surname may have been changed to accommodate American dialects, creating new variants of the same name. Some of these variants include Girdjigerdes, Girdjagerdes, Girdjegerdes, Gertjegerdise, Gertyegerds and Gertyegerdise.
The surnames variously described above are all derived from the same origin, Gertjegerdes. Similar to other surnames, the spelling of Gertjegerdes underwent multiple variations in order to accommodate variations in dialects, languages and accents across the world.
Famous people with the name Gertjegerdes
- Henning Gertjegerdes: Actor, theatre director, and playwright best known as the artistic director of St. Paul's Bouffes du Nord in Paris; recently directed a version of Candide with the Berliner Ensemble.
- Heather Gertjegerdes: Former White House Office of Political Affairs Director and deputy national political director for the 2012 Obama for America presidential campaign.
- Hannah Gertjegerdes: Retired professional beach volleyball player who competed in the AVP Tour and the FIVB World Tour; bronze medalist at the 1999 Beach Volleyball World Championships.
- Tim Gertjegerdes: Award-winning journalist and multimedia producer best known for his work at the Austin American-Statesman and the Houston Chronicle; recipient of several awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.
- Daphne Gertjegerdes: Senior Vice President of Strategy, Research & Development at Universal Parks & Resorts; also serves on the executive committee of the Queen Mary-University of London's School of Business & Management.
- Jacob Gertjegerdes: Visual effects artist who has worked on a variety of films and television shows including Stranger Things, Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.
- George Gertjegerdes: Award-winning poet and novelist whose works have been featured in major literary journals and anthologies; recipient of the James Tiptree, Jr. Award for his novel Strongbox.
- Milena Gertjegerdes: Innovative biochemist and bioengineer working at the intersection of systems biology, synthetic biology, and computation; director of the Lilly Science Institute at Harvard Medical School.
- Dave Gertjegerdes: Award-winning Australian photojournalist with work featured in publications around the world; recipient of the Walkley Award for the coverage of refugees in 2001.
- Erich Gertjegerdes: Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History at St. Olaf College in Minnesota and the author of several acclaimed books on the history of the German empire; inducted into the Minnesota Historical Society Hall of Fame in 2005.