Gerdes


Gerdes or Geerdes is a surname of German origin. It is a patronymic name, i.e. it comes from "son of Gerhard". When around 1800 the Prussian government under French occupation decided to fix the surnames, the contemporary "son of Gerhard" had to keep his name. In Ostfriesland, the law was ignored until at least 1811.

Origin

Gerdes is a patronymic derived from the name "Gerd", short for Gerard, meaning "hard spear", or from the Norse goddess Gerd, wife of Freyr and protectress of the home yard and garden, from which she also derives her name as a personification of the garden/yard.

People