Look above under Geuder and Geuther lineages for history and lineages

What is in a name?

If we trace our Geuther ancestors back to the 17th century, we'll notice that the spelling of the name changes from the modern version of Geuther to Geuter or Geuder and later in the 15th century to Gewder or Giuder. Until the 19th century, it was easy to change the family name and often several different spellings were used even in the same document. Since most ordinary people could not read or write themselves, the scribe or official would spell the name by sound. Martin Luther’s original name was Luder, and Goethe’s forefathers spelled their name Goede. Only in 1874 was the spelling of family names regulated. Today, we have the different forms of Geuther, Geuter, Geuder and Guither all deriving from the original Geuder.

Surnames developed in the German speaking area relatively late and were in general use only by the 14th century. Before that time, the people of Germany customarily used only one name, a first name, and sometimes attached a byname to special individuals. Carl the Great, Eric the Red, etc. Eventually, the use of family names developed when the byname of a person was inherited by the descendants.

Geuder is a descriptive surname, derived from a distinct feature, a quality or characteristic rather than occupation or a place name, or the relationship to other people.

The Geographical Origin of the name is undoubtedly the middle of Germany, a region called Franconia, around the old imperial city of Nuremberg.

The Meaning, on the other hand, is not so obvious. It might very well be a derivative of the old German word "gewer", to open the mouth wide, as in yawning. An open mouth also goes with laughter and loud talking. In the 13th century the word "geuder" shows up in literature as a name for someone with a big mouth, a boaster and braggert. A few centuries later, it also became a word for squanderer, for a person that enjoys life without constraints. Though, Simon Rot suggests in the “deutschen dictionarius” from 1571, a connection to latin gaudere, to be happy. “Geuden” after all ryhmes with “Freuden” (joy, pleasure).

Other literary examples of the same time tell us, "[persons] who waste their money and possessions for unnecessary things are called "Geuder.” A “Geuder” is someone who says he rode in a year more than 400 dark nights through meadows and forests – an obvious inspiration for Baron of Muenchhausen. Another saying from the 15th century is, “Take it from the miser and give it to the squanderer (Geuder).” Or “The father a saver, the son a (Geuder) squanderer.” Survival during these centuries of war, hunger and pestilence, certainly inspired prudence and disapproval of wastefulness.

We can assume that the meaning of the verb geuder, giuder (to squander), was already established long before the writings of the 15th century. Looking back, it is difficult to say which one came first, the name coining the meaning, or the verb becoming the descriptive byname for an exceptionally talented braggart. The verb is still in current use in the German language in the form of “vergeuden” (to squander) and as a noun in “Vergeuder” (squanderer).

In the Franconian dialekt "geuder" is a word for geyser. And this might very well be the origin. Someone that gushes like a hot geyser could have received the nickname "geuder".

Hanns Geuder, Malmerz, mentioned in a tax and lien book from 1595.

Historical records The earliest historical records of a person with the name Geuder is Heinrico Geuder in 1253, and Sigmund Geuder in 1278, a knight, whose family might have come from Bohemia, and settled close to the free imperial city of Nuremberg. The Nuremberger list of citizens, as well as their oldest book of outlaws, beginning 1302, contains several Geuder. By 1330, the descendants of Sigmund Geuder had acquired the coveted citizenship of Nuremberg and very soon afterwards became one of the prominent ruling class families of the rich merchant city. By the end of the century, they purchased large property holdings north of town, in Heroldsberg, where they built several, still existing, castles. The name Geuder in this family continues to live on in the United States. In 1848 Adolph von Geuder immigrated to Ohio. Look under Geuder Lineages for more.

Distribution The distribution of the name Geuder and Geuther in Germany today still shows a concentration in the middle and northeast of Frankonia, a province in Bavaria. And considering that the name Geuder/Geuter/Geuther is not a common surname, not even in Germany, we are tempted to conclude that somewhere in the past we have a single common root. Only diligent research will tell. And with our new DNA surname project we will have a good chance.

Distribution of the name Geuder in Germany today [ Map created by Geogen]

Curiosity ~~~ Why do so many of our Geuther ancestors carry the first name of Georg, Stephan, Michael, Nikolaus, Johannes, Andreas and Margarethe? They were names of Byzantine saints, and for a time more popular for christening than the names of Roman Catholic saints. ~~~