Show ContentsBord History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the name Bord begins in the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It was a name for a dweller at a cottage or small farm. 1 Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the French word "borde," 'a little house, lodging, or cottage of timber, standing alone in the fields. In Domesday [Book] the occupants of cottages are called bordarii, and amount to 82,119 in number." 2

Early Origins of the Bord family

The surname Bord was first found in Sussex, where one of the first records of the family was Andrew Borde or Boorde (1490?-1549), English "traveller and physician, ‘Andreas Parforutus’ as he jocosely calls himself, was born at ‘Boords Hill in Holms dayle,’ near Cuckfield, Sussex, some time before or about 1490, as by 1521 he was appointed suffragan bishop of Chichester, and must have therefore then been thirty years old." 3

Early History of the Bord family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bord research. Another 52 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1490 and 1549 are included under the topic Early Bord History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bord Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Bord are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Bord include: Board, Borde, Bord, Boards and others.

Early Notables of the Bord family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Andrew Boorde (or Borde) (1490-1549), an English traveller, physician and writer, born at Boords Hill, Holms Dale, Sussex

Bord Ranking

In France, the name Bord is the 3,520th most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 4


United States Bord migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Bord or a variant listed above:

Bord Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Robert Bord, who arrived in Virginia in 1654 5
  • John Bord, who arrived in Maryland in 1678 5

Australia Bord migration to Australia +

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

Bord Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John Bord, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Mary Ann" in 1849 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Bord (post 1700) +

  • Thomas B. Bord, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Gold Democrat National Convention from California, 1896

HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Frederick Vivian Bord, British Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 7


The Bord 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: Perforatus
Motto Translation: Pierce.


  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  4. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  5. 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)
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The MARY ANN 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849MaryAnn.htm
  7. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html


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