Surname Bairead - Meaning and Origin
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Bairead: What does the surname Bairead mean?
The last name Bairead is an anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Beartaidh. It is a patronymic surname, derived from the personal name Beartaidh, which is itself derived from the Old Irish elements 'beartt', meaning 'axe', and 'adh', meaning 'fire'. This combination of elements likely refers to a person who was either an axe-smith or a metalworker.
The surname has been present in Ireland since the 9th century, although the branch of the family it originated from is likely older than that. It has typically been found in counties Kerry, Derry, Donegal, Galway, and Cork.
The name Bairead first originated when the Irish language was replaced by the English language during colonization. The English language often chose to simplify Irish names, which is why many Irish surnames can be seen in multiple different forms. In the case of Bairead, it seems that the pronunciation of the original Irish name was simplified into a more English-sounding version.
The common coat of arms associated with the surname is a black field, denoting loyalty, with a silver axe diagonally across it. This symbol likely references the original meaning of the surname.
Overall, the surname Bairead is an old and prominent Irish name which displays the typical combination of loyalty and strength. It originates from the Gaelic elements pertaining to a metalworker or an axe-smith. As colonization took place, the name was simplified to its current form, Bairead.
Order DNA origin analysisBairead: Where does the name Bairead come from?
The surname Bairead is most commonly found today in Ireland. According to SurnameDB, the earliest record of the Bairead surname is in Ireland in 1589. The Bairead surname still remains in rural communities mainly in County Cork in the Southern part of the country.
The Irish people have held on to their traditions and language in spite of the pervasive influence of English culture in Ireland. For many centuries, the people of Ireland have practiced a system of recording family history known as “The Annal”, which keeps a record of prominent families and their lineages. This is why the Bairead surname still remains in rural communities in the South of Ireland today, where it is continuously passed on from generation to generation.
The Bairead surname indicates a distinct Irish heritage as it is Anglicized from the Irish surname "O Baireid". This old Irish name was derived from the region of “Ui Baireid” which roughly translates to the “Descendants of Bairead”. As well as being common in Ireland, the surname is also found in areas of the United States and Northern Ireland.
The Bairead surname is an interesting example of a surname still used in modern times which is rooted in ancient Irish history and which represents an Irish legacy stretching back centuries.
Variations of the surname Bairead
Bairead is an Irish surname, which is derived from the Gaelic elements ‘barr’ (‘man’ or ‘top’) and ‘os’ (‘deer’ or ‘wish’). It is the Anglicised form of the Gaelic name ‘Ó Briodáin’. The original form of the surname is O’Brien, which is the most common variant.
Other variants of the surname Bairead include Baroid, BÓrai, BÓraide, O'Bryen, Obrien, Obryen, O'Bryen, O’ Brian, O’Bryant, O’Bryen, Bàthraidh, O’Brían, O’Briain, O’Bryan, O'Hay, O’HÓraid, Ó Way, and Ó’Way.
Some of the spellings of Bairead include Baerd, Bairde, Barded, Barde, Bayred, BÓrai, BÓraide, Byreade, Byrd, O’BÓrda, O’Bryan and O’Byard.
The variant surnames with the same origin as Bairead are the English surname Barden, the Scottish surname Boys, the Welsh surname Boyed, and the Manx surname Bailie. These variant surnames are all derived from the Gaelic word ‘barr’ (meaning ‘man’ or ‘top’).
The surname Bairead is found predominantly in County Kerry, in the south-west of Ireland. It is also found in County Galway and in some scattered parts of the other provinces.
In conclusion, the Bairead surname has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The variants include Baroid, Bàthraidh, BÓrai, O'Bryen, and O’BÓrda. The spellings of Bairead are as varied as Bairde, Barded, Bayred, Byrd, and O’Byard. The surnames of the same origin are Barden, Boys, Boyed and Bailie.
Famous people with the name Bairead
- Eimear Bairead: Irish actress, writer, and producer
- John Bairead: Irish history professor
- Nancy Bairead: former mayor of Dublin
- Alan Bairead: American novelist
- Sarah Bairead: American composer and singer
- Keelin Bairead: Irish sound engineer
- Leslie Bairead: Irish landscape artist
- Oliver Bairead: American architect
- Colin Bairead: Canadian hockey player
- Mary Bairead: Irish sculptor and painter