This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance
- Meaning
- Son of Gerald (fitz 'son of' + the name Gerald)
- Origin
- Anglo-Norman/Irish (patronymic surname)
- Gender
- Primarily used for boys
- Pronunciation
- fits-JAIR-uld
Fitzgerald is an Anglo-Norman/Irish surname built from fitz, meaning 'son of,' plus the name Gerald — so it literally reads as son of Gerald. You may see it described elsewhere as German for 'son of the spear ruler,' but that's not quite right: the 'spear ruler' sense belongs to Gerald itself (ger 'spear' + wald 'rule'), while Fitzgerald is its own separate Anglo-Norman/Irish patronymic surname. It's a name with a clear, literal lineage built right into its structure.
Meaning & Origin of Fitzgerald
Meaning: Son of Gerald (fitz 'son of' + the name Gerald).
Origin: Anglo-Norman/Irish (patronymic surname).
A common claim: Widely said to mean 'son of Gerald'; one baby-name source mislabels it as German for 'son of the spear ruler'. Actually: Fitzgerald itself is Anglo-Norman/Irish, not German — the 'spear ruler' sense belongs to the underlying Germanic name Gerald (ger 'spear' + wald 'rule'), not to Fitzgerald's own origin.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Fitzgerald
fits-JAIR-uldIPA /fɪtsˈdʒɛrəld/
Popularity of Fitzgerald
SSA records for Fitzgerald run from 1919 to 2024, and the name hit its high point in 1964 at #690 with 125 babies given the name. By 2024 it had dropped to #2239, with only 64 babies given the name that year.
Names Like Fitzgerald
These names have followed a similar path to Fitzgerald in U.S. popularity over the years.
FAQ
What does the name Fitzgerald mean?
Son of Gerald (fitz ‘son of’ + the name Gerald). (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Fitzgerald?
Fitzgerald is pronounced fits-JAIR-uld (IPA: /fɪtsˈdʒɛrəld/).
Is Fitzgerald a popular name right now?
Fitzgerald peaked at #690 in 1964 and is ranked #2239 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1919–2024.)
Make Fitzgerald Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Fitzgerald, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Fitzgerald? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
