Surname Byard - Meaning and Origin

Byard: What does the surname Byard mean?

The surname Byard originates from England. The name is believed to have come from an Old French name 'Berard', meaning 'bold bear', derived from the Frankish 'bera' meaning 'bear' and 'hard' meaning 'strong'. The surname Byard was first found in Westmorland, a Northern English county, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Byards were wealthy landowners and are known to have branched into what is now Scotland and across to Ireland. It is believed that the first person to bear this name was Berard de Bremesbergh, who held estates in Cumberland in the year 1190.

In the 18th century, the Byards were prominent landowners in the area, and the number of Byard descended families living in the North of England significantly increased over the centuries.

Due to the Byard's hard work and achievements, a large number of people with the surname Byard were recorded in the mid 19th century all over England. This includes challengers at law, clergymen, members of parliament, statesman, academics and aristocracy.

The Byard family name is believed to be a symbol of bravery and strength, and the legacy of the Byards is still alive and well today.

Byard: Where does the name Byard come from?

The last name Byard is found most commonly today in the United States and Canada. In the United States, Byard is most commonly found in Oklahoma, followed by Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina. However, the highest concentration of the last name is seen primarily in the Southeast and Midwestern states.

Byard is one of the five most common variations of the surnames Baird, Beard, Bard, Bayard, and Bayrd. People with this last name are thought to have originated from the English and Scottish languages, and it is believed to have been derived from a nickname meaning "one who is strong or brave".

In Canada, Byard is primarily found in Prince Edward Island, Ontario, and Alberta. It is also more commonly seen in Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as Nova Scotia.

Byard is unique in that it is primarily found in the United States and Canada. It is an interesting variation of a very common surname. While its popularity might not make it stand out amongst the sea of common last names, it is still one that is worth learning about.

Variations of the surname Byard

The surname Byard is of Norman French origin and is derived from the Old French ‘beg’ meaning ‘small farm’.

Variants of the surname include:

Beard/Beards

Beart/Bearts

Beur/Beurs

Baird/Bairds

Bayard/Bayards

Beaird/Beairds

Byard/Byards

Berard/Berards

Brewer/Brewers

Spellings of the surname include:

Beirde

Beart

Beerd

Beyerde

Beardde

Baeurd

Beerde

Beire

Behirde

Beyerd

Surnames of similar origin include:

Behre/Behres

Beere/Beers

Bhre/Bhres

Biard/Biards

Bihr/Bihrs

Blair/Blairs

Bouer/Bouers

Burns/Burnes

Byrd/Byrds

Berd/Berds

The Anglo-Saxon variant of the surname is Beorde.

The original spelling of the surname was de Berarde. This evolved into de Bearte and then de Beert. The spelling then changed again to Beird, which eventually developed into Byard.

Famous people with the name Byard

• Robert Byard: professional factory driver and stunt driver.
• Richard Byard: Grammy-winning jazz saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist and band leader.
• Euan Byard: Actor, stunt man, and stunt coordinator.
• Caitlyn Byard: Professional dancer and choreographer.
• David Byard: Award-winning documentary filmmaker.
• Lindy Byard: Singer-songwriter, artist and record producer.
• Mark Byard: Musician and composer.
• Rebecca Byard: Sculptor and installation artist.
• Sean Byard: Professional figure skater and former national champion.
• Vaughn Byard: NBA player and Hall of Fame inductee.

Other surnames

Byars