Gaspard
A continental baptismal surname from the name of one of the Magi, later used in French and other European languages.
The #6,427 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 58,419 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Gaspard comes through French from the given name Gaspard, the French form of Caspar/Jasper, one of the traditional names of the Three Wise Men. Older writers often connected the name with a Persian title meaning something like “treasure master,” though the exact deep origin is not certain. As a surname, it is therefore usually patronymic or baptismal in origin: it began as a hereditary family name from a personal name.
History
Historical references show Gaspard as a Christian given name in France and the Low Countries before it became a surname. It also appears in variant spellings such as Gaspart, Jasper, Jaspar, and Casper, especially in continental records. Because the name was borne by notable French families, including the Colignys, it has a long noble and historical presence in French sources. The surname is much rarer in English records, where it often reflects immigration or continental influence.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some older writers treated Gaspard as a Magi name rather than a saint’s name, which helped keep the name popular as a baptismal forename in parts of Europe.
From the historical record
“Jasper. — Bapt. < the son of Jasper* ; Fr. Gaspard. Very rare in England as a surname. I have not found any early instances, but it was at one time common as a Christian name.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)