Gearing

This unusual surname is of French origins, and dates back to the 1066 Norman Invasion in many instances. The name had a second introduction after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, and therefore when first recorded after that date is usually Huguenot refugee. In origin the name is either locational in which case it describes a former inhabitant of Gironde in Gascony, France, or it is one of the many nickname diminutives which have developed from the popular medieval French baptismal name 'Gervase'. These derivatives include Gerant, Gerrans, Gerin, Gerring, Jerrans, Garron, Garren, Garrand, Gearing, Jerrand, as well as overlaps with Goring, Gerard, and no doubt many others. What is certain is that the earliest surname holders were part of William the Conqueror's successful army and were granted significant estates in England. Examples of these early recordings include Tustin de Girunde in the 1086 Domesday Book for the county of Kent, whilst Walter de Gyrunde, and Geoffrey Geron are registered in the 1279 rolls known as the 'Feet of Fines' for the county of Essex. Henry Girun is recorded in the Curia Regis rolls of Cambridge in 1210 a.d., Robert Jeryn in the London rolls of the year 1319, whilst Robert Geroun is recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridge in 1327. The coat of Arms granted to Sir William de Geroun of Essex in 1377 is known as an 'ancient' and predates the future College of Arms. It has the blazon of argent, three piles in pale meeting in base, gules. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Turstinus de Giron, which was dated 1086, in the Domesday Book for Kent, during the reign of King William 1st, known as 'The conqueror', 1066 - 1087. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.