Surname Egardt - Meaning and Origin
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Egardt: What does the surname Egardt mean?
The last name Egardt is of German origin and is derived from a Low German phrase “eckert” which translates to “edge” or “border”. This may suggest that early family members were living along the border of a kingdom, making them “borderers.”
Alternately, the suffix “-gardt” found in the name Egardt may have been added to signify a particular family of nobles who held an estate or land along a border. This estate could have been either inherited, or attached to a feudal contract of service due to their military or logistical contributions to a local area.
Since Egardt is a relatively rare name, it is possible that the family members came from a specific, important region such as Prussia, where borders were frequently collapsing and being drawn between rivaling factions or constituents. This is most likely the answer to how a surname such as Egardt originally came about.
At any rate, it is clear that the Egardt surname evokes a sense of loyalty, prestige and importance, or at the least a deep connection with a place that the family never really left.
Order DNA origin analysisEgardt: Where does the name Egardt come from?
The Last name Egardt is a relatively rare surname, but can be found throughout Europe and North America. Most notably, the surname is found in Germany and Nordic countries, such as Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. In Germany, it is mainly concentrated in the former East Berlin area and the provinces of North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria.
The surname is also common in emigrated communities in the United States, particularly in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Names associated with the Egardt spelling are often found in areas with Scandinavian and/or German immigrant populations. Thus, records of this name in the United States are more likely to be in states where this wave of emigration occurred.
The spelling can also be found in parts of Canada, particularly in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Similar to the United States, the Egardt spelling has evolved over time as German emigrants spread out from their first point of arrival in these areas.
Ultimately, the Egardt surname is still present in many places today, although it is rare. But, if you are looking to track down people of this name, then look to Germany, Nordic countries, North America, and Canada first to find the most possible records of individuals bearing the Egardt surname.
Variations of the surname Egardt
The surname Egardt can have many variations, spellings and other surnames of the same origin. Some of these variants include Eccard, Eggeard, Egart, Eggearts, Eggeart, Eggerd, Eggerdt, Eggherdt, Ekeyardt, Ekhard, Ekhart, Ekhardt, Ekheart, Elkhart, Elgart, and Enghard.
Egardt is of German origin, and the original spelling is Eckhart or Eckhard. The spelling Eckhard is derived from the Old High German words ek (edge, sword) and harti (hard, strong). It is also believed to be an occupational name for someone who was advanced as a swordsman or an executioner. This occupational name eventually became a hereditary surname, and sometimes, words such as eck, egg, and aug (awe) were added to the original Eckhart spelling.
Egardt can also be found in North America as a result of immigration. After the American Revolution, many German words were Anglicized as spelling conventions had changed. Thus, the surname Egardt in North America found its way into the Anglicized variations of Elkhart, Elgart and Enghard.
There are also French variants of the surname Egardt such as Eccard, Eggeard, and Egart, which were adopted upon the immigration of French Huguenots to Germany in the 17th century. However, after the French Revolution of 1789, many French Huguenots who settled in Germany adopted German spelling forms of their surnames, and thus the variations of Eggearts, Eggerd, Eggherdt, Ekeyardt, and Ekhart can be found in modern-day Germany.
In summary, the surname Egardt has many variations, spellings and other surnames of a similar origin. This is both due to its origin in Germany, and the fact that the spelling has been Anglicized or Frenchified in different places around the world throughout history.
Famous people with the name Egardt
- Wilbur Egardt: A former director of the Management Development Institute at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Heino Egardt: A well-known German photographer
- Constantin Egardt: A German historian and professor at the University of Munich
- Francesca Egardt: An actress and journalist from Sweden
- Peter Egardt: An award-winning Swedish stage director
- Adam Egardt: An internet entrepreneur and technology investor
- Helena Egardt: A noted poet and writer from Sweden
- Pauline Egardt: An award-winning French chef and restaurateur
- Joseph Egardt: An Austrian-born civil and military engineer who served in both Amenia and Russia
- Lion Egardt: An award-winning Swiss composer and conductor