Gillard Family History

English: from the Middle English personal name Gillard Jillard with initial soft g (/dʒ/) a borrowing of Old French Gillard a pet form of Gille (see Giles and 4 below). Alternatively from the Middle English personal name Gillard which with a hard g (/g/) would be from Old French Guilard corresponding to the Norman form Willard.

English: sometimes perhaps an altered form of Gillett. English: sometimes perhaps an altered form of Gerard (Middle English Girard) with r/l substitution. French: from the Old French personal name Gillard a pet form of Gille and Gilles ‘Giles’.

French: from the ancient Germanic personal name Gilhard composed of the elements gil ‘ardent’ + hard ‘hard strong’. French: from an assimilated form of the ancient Germanic personal name Gislehard composed of the elements gīsil ‘pledge hostage noble offspring’ (see Giesel) + hard ‘hard strong’.