Contents [hide]

Baird History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Baird History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland-Alt
Scotland
Ireland

The Strathclyde-Briton people of ancient Scotland were the first to use the name Baird. It is a name for someone who works as a poet, which was originally derived from the Gaelic word bard. 1

Early Origins of the Baird family

The surname Baird was first found in Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

According to legend, William the Lion, King of Scotland was alarmed by the approach of a wild boar, while hunting in one of the southwestern counties. Baird, who was a follower in the King's train, came forward to assist the King. Baird needed only a single arrow to slay the boar, and was rewarded for this service by the king. He was granted large areas of lands, and was assigned a Coat of Arms on which there is a wild boar. King William also commanded that Baird would have as his motto Dominus Fecit (The Lord made). In the Churchyard of Banff, Scotland, Baird's Arms may still be seen in an ancient monument to the Bairds of Auchmeddan.

Early History of the Baird family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Baird research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1616, 1620, 1632, 1647, 1654, 1656, 1658, 1667, 1686, 1690, 1697, 1698, 1715, 1717, 1736, 1737, 1739, 1740, 1743, 1745, 1748, 1753, 1759 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Baird History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baird Spelling Variations

Before the printing press standardized spelling in the last few hundred years, no general rules existed in the English language. Spelling variations in Scottish names from the Middle Ages are common even within a single document. Baird has been spelled Baird, Bard, Barde, Baard, Bayard, Beard and many more.

Early Notables of the Baird family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Henry Bard, 1st Viscount Bellomont (1616-1656), an English Royalist; Charles Rupert Bard, 2nd Viscount Bellomont (1647-1667); and Sir John Baird of Newbyth, Lord Newbyth (1620-1698), a Scottish advoca...

Baird World Ranking

In the United States, the name Baird is the 911^st most popular surname with an estimated 32,331 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Baird is ranked the 826^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,490 people with that name. 3 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Baird is the 349^th popular surname with an estimated 133 people with that name. 4 Australia ranks Baird as 644^th with 6,059 people. 5 New Zealand ranks Baird as 325^th with 1,909 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Baird as 712^nd with 9,444 people. 7

Migration of the Baird family to Ireland

Some of the Baird family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baird migration to the United States +

For Scottish immigrants, the great expense of travel to North America did not seem such a problem in those unstable times. Acres of land awaited them and many got the chance to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. These Scots and their ancestors went on to play important roles in the forging of the great nations of the United States and Canada. Among them:

Baird Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Andrew Baird, who landed in Massachusetts in 1672 8
James Baird who arrived in America in 1685
Alexander Baird, who arrived in New York in 1695 8

Baird Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Baird, who settled in New Hampshire in 1718
Francois Baird, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 8
Archibald Baird, who arrived in South Carolina in 1770 8
John Baird, who settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1773
Thomas Baird, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1774
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Baird Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Baird, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1807 8
Henry Baird, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1810 8
Martha Baird, aged 40, who landed in Maine in 1812 8
Washington Baird, who landed in New York in 1813 8
George Baird, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Baird migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Baird Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Phillip Baird (Beard) settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1677, and the Bairds also settled in Bay Bulls, Freshwater Bay, and Long Harbour, in Newfoundland 9

Baird Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. William Baird U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1783 10

Baird Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

James Baird, who arrived in Canada in 1820
George Baird, aged 50, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Trial" in 1833
Margaret Baird, aged 50, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Trial" in 1833
Anne Baird, aged 28, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Trial" in 1833
Adam Baird, aged 22, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Trial" in 1833
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Baird migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Baird Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Mary Baird, Irish convict who was convicted in Armagh, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 21st January 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. Robert Baird who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Camden" on 21st March 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Thomas Baird a farmer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Navarino" in 1837 13
Isabella Baird, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Navarino" in 1837 13
James Baird a shepherd, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Navarino" in 1837 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Baird migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Baird Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Helen Baird, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
James Baird, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
John Baird, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
Samuel C Baird, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
Thomas Baird, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Baird (post 1700) +

Major-General Henry Welles Baird (1881-1963), American Commanding Officer, 4th Armored Division (1941-1942) 14
Brigadier-General Harry Howard Baird (1893-1969), American Commanding Officer, Special Troops, US Army Forces Pacific (1945-1946) 15
James Baird (1873-1953), American civil engineer and builder of the Lincoln Memorial
Leah Baird (1883-1971), American actress of the silent screen, and a screenwriter
Spencer Fullerton Baird (1823-1887), American naturalist
Raphael F. Baird, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 5 aerial victories
Arch M. Baird, American Republican politician, Member of Missouri State House of Representatives from Jasper County 2nd District, 1929-30 16
Ann Baird, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Ohio, 2004 16
Andrew D. Baird (1839-1923), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1884; Candidate for Mayor of Brooklyn, New York, 1887, 1889; Postmaster at Brooklyn, New York, 1890 16
Andrew C. Baird, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Michigan convention to ratify 21st amendment from Wayne County 1st District, 1933; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1936 16
... (Another 76 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Baird family +

HMS Repulse

Mr. James Baird, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 17

The Baird Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Dominus fecit
Motto Translation: The Lord made.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd June 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/experiment
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/camden
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) NAVARINO 1837. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837Navarino.htm
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 6) Henry Baird. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Baird/Henry_Welles/USA.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 6) Harry Baird. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Baird/Harry_Howard/USA.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html