Gehrigs

Gehrigs is a surname of German origin. In English, it is most commonly encountered as a family name, and the plural form Gehrigs may be used when referring to multiple individuals bearing the name. The surname is relatively uncommon, and outside of references to one prominent figure there are few widely known bearers.

The most notable person associated with the name is Lou Gehrig (1903–1941), an American professional baseball player who spent his career with the New York Yankees. Gehrig was renowned for his durability and skill, and he held the major league record for consecutive games played at 2,130, a mark that stood for many decades. He was a central figure on Yankees teams during the late 1920s and early 1930s and is widely regarded as one of the greatest first basemen in baseball history. In 1939 he retired after being diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease, now called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The condition is commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease in North America, reflecting his high public profile at the time of his illness.

Beyond Lou Gehrig, the surname Gehrig appears in genealogical and regional records but has not produced a comparable level of public notoriety. See also related spellings and variants of similar German surnames.