Surname Gade - Meaning and Origin

Gade: What does the surname Gade mean?

Gade is a Germanic last name, often pronounced "Gah-deh," and derived from the Germanic word gat or gad, which means a pointed stick or spear. The name literally means the bearer of a spear, or a warrior of sorts.

In Germany, the Gade name is generally thought to be of Swabian origin. The family is thought to have originated in the area around the Swabian Alps in southwestern Germany.

Today, Gade is often found as a surname in Denmark, Germany, and other parts of Northern Europe. As a surname, it often indicates a long roots in the region.

The Gade name was adopted by many different families throughout Europe and is generally considered a symbol of strength and courage. It symbolized a warrior-like spirit and was a reminder that those who bared the last name strived for justice.

It was a name people could be proud of and, for this reason, it was often taken on by people who were of a lower serfdom or peasant in the ages before the industrial revolution.

Whether a family had its origins in the Germanic regions, Scandinavia, Scotland, England, or elsewhere, Gade may have been adopted to signify their pasts.

In the larger context of meaning, the name Gade carries a connotation of strength to fight for justice. It can refer to a family that fosters ideals of courage and seek to engage in battles that stand for justice and right.

Gade: Where does the name Gade come from?

The last name Gade is most commonly found in the northern countries of Europe, especially Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is also found in Germany and a few other countries in the region. In Norway alone, it is the 11th most common surname.

The etymology of the last name Gade is uncertain, however it is believed to originate from the Old German word ‘gad’ which means ‘wild boar’. This points to a possible occupational origins, where individuals with this surname may have hunted wild boar or created tools and weapons related to that activity.

The surname is thought to have spread from its Scandinavian homeland to other parts of Europe, such as Britain and Germany, via migration after the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. It can also be found in the United States, as it was brought to America by Danish immigrants to the Midwest during the 19th century.

Today, the last name Gade remains relatively common in Europe, where it is estimated that around 27,000 individuals carry the last name. It has also spread to other parts of the world, such as Argentina, Australia, and Canada, due to continued immigration throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.

Variations of the surname Gade

Gade is a Germanic surname that has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The name Gade is derived from the Middle High German word ‘Gat’, which means ‘lock’.

The variants of the surname Gade include: Gaede, Gaede, Gaider, Gaid, Gaied, Gaidt, Gaidet, Gait, Gaiten, Gaitner, and Geed. These variations of the surname stem from dialectal changes of the German language.

The spelling variants of Gade are Gad, Gæd, Gaid, Gead, Geade, Geed, Geid, Geyd, and Gaid.

Similarly, the surnames of the same origin to Gade include: Gad, Gaedt, Gadt, Gäde, Gard, Garte, Gett, Gode, Gurte, Gurt, and Godde.

The variations of the surname Gade not only span different regions and dialects in Germany, but also neighbouring countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Austria and the Netherlands. Other translations of the name include Grude, Grudd, Gudda, and Goede.

The various spellings of the surname can vary widely depending on the country of origin. It is not uncommon to find people with the same last name but spelled differently.

Gade is an old and established surname, found in recorded documents as far back as the 16th Century in Germany.

Famous people with the name Gade

• Peter Gade: Danish badminton player who won the Danish National Championships 5 times and ranked number one in the world for a record of 9 consecutive years in the late 1990s and early 2000s; he was the most successful badminton player of his era.
• Holger Gade: German operatic baritone known for singing roles in operas by Mozart and Wagner.
• August Gade: Danish high-class violin maker, known for his excellent craftsmanship and sought after by collectors.
• Frederik Gade: Danish mathematician, physicist and engineer known for designing the windmill, which brought modern electrical power to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
• Alfred Gade: Danish theatre director and actor, best remembered for his work at the Royal Danish Theatre.
• Niels Gade: Danish composer of classical music, well known for his eight symphonies and various works of chamber music.
• Carl Gade: Danish photographer, known for his pioneering work in the field of landscape photography.
• William Gade: American banker who built the Gade School of Business, the first educational institution devoted exclusively to business and finance studies in the United States.
• Frederick Gade: Danish inventor, best known for developing the world’s first electrical bread toaster.
• Poul Gade: Danish architect and designer renowned for his sleek, modernist buildings, mostly located in Copenhagen.

Other surnames

GadahGaddasGäddasGaddesGaddessGaddiceGaddisGadenGaderGadercoldGaderecoldGadererGadieGaduangGady