Garver
A German occupational surname meaning “tanner” or “leather dresser,” often an Americanized form of Gerber.
The #7,441 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 68,963 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Garver is generally taken as an American spelling of the German surname Gerber. In German, a Gerber was a tanner or leather worker, from the verb gerben, meaning to tan or cure leather. The surname therefore began as an occupational name for someone who worked in hides and leather.
History
The name appears in North American records mainly through German-speaking immigration, especially among Pennsylvania Germans and later descendants. Historical writers noted that Gerber could be Anglicized or respelled as Garver in American usage. The spelling is less common than Gerber, but it fits a broader pattern of German surnames being reshaped to match English pronunciation.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A 1902 study of Pennsylvania German name changes explicitly lists Garver as a form of Gerber.
From the historical record
“Pennsylvania Germans like v, and this gives rise to a large number of new names, among them being the following : Everly (Eberle), Hoover (Huber), Garver (Gerber) — also written Carver — Lively (Leibly), Suavely (Schnaebele), Beaver (Bieber). The change of ch into gh has also brought in a large number of new forms…”
— Studies in Pennsylvania German Family Names