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[Surname] Gerhardt
Last name Gerhardt - emmigrated to U.S. in 1740 from Palatinate region in Germany. My question is racial origen of that name - my family claims it is a German Jewish name - I think it is a name that is simply German and our ancestors were Lutherans or Quakers. We can't find evidence before emigration, however.
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Gerhardt is definitely German, though it may also be borne by Jews just like many other German names. You'll find the etymology at http://www.ancestry.com/facts/gerhardt-name-meaning.ashx.
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Thanks, I knew the meaning of the name - just hoped someone knew something more. Thanks so much anyway.
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If your ancestors emigrated from the Palatinate in the early 18th century they may have been Protestant refugees. I know some made their way to Ireland during that period.
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There's a short note on Palatine ancestry here -
http://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/palatines/index.shtml
and some name lists here -
http://www.fortklock.com/names.htm
The surname Gerhardt occurs on a couple of the lists.
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Thanks a bunch!!
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