Our parents, Paul and Marcelene Gauger, died too early in our lives. We have missed Dad and Mom for several years, and have been saddened that most of our children did not have the blessing of these wonderful grandparents in their lives. We are creating this blog to write some of our memories, organize photos, and share thoughts of our loving parents and their family. In doing so, it is our wish that our children, grandchildren, extended family, and friends may understand our love for our parents and our family. As King Benjamin taught, our parents lived: "...ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another." Mosiah 4:15. This truth, love and service are the legacy of Paul and Marcelene Gauger.

Sunday 24 May 2009

Gauger Coat of Arms

I did a brief internet search for the meaning and origin of the surname Gauger, focusing on its German origin. I found several sites that were commercial in nature, selling coat of arms, family crests and descriptions of the origin of surnames. Apparently, the surname of GAUGER was an official name, "the gauge", meaning a measurer and tester of wheat and barley. It was also occasionally used as an occupational name for a moneylender or userer, from the Old French word "gage", or pledge, surety against which money was lent. Other records of the name include GAGE, GAUGE, GAIGER, DUGAGE, DAGET, GAGEOT, GAGELIN, and GAGEY, to name a few.


I ordered a GAUGER coat of arms, specifically requesting a German origin, since that is where the Gauger family that settled in Iowa emigrated from. The following is what was sent to me:



I have no way to verify the authenticity of this coat of arms, but it is fun to speculate and delve into the origins of the GAUGER surname. Someone with a nice graphics computer in his or her basement in the desert of New Mexico or the high plains of North Dakota was happy to take my money and create this "authentic" German coat of arms, modifying slightly another coat of arms ordered by another gullible buyer.

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2 comments:

  1. Linda Clark26 May 2009 at 09:24

    I will adopt this as it is great and I am so proud to be a GAUGER! Thanks for the research and fun way to solidfy our wonderful heritage.

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  2. Unknown30 March 2011 at 20:06

    I got the Gauger name from my father though I am 80% itallian. I read somewhere that the Gauger name comes from Austrian Decent, and somewhere else that it is of French decent.

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