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![Show Contents]() Airds History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Scotland
The name Airds was first used by the ancient Strathclyde-Briton people of the Scottish/English Borderlands. The first Airds family lived in Ayrshire. Aird is a very small village, in the parish of Inch, county of Wigton and in the late 1800s had only 18 inhabitants. 1 Early Origins of the Airds familyThe surname Airds was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire. There are two possible origins of the surname: from Aird near Hurlford, Ayrshire; or from Aird, a village, in the parish of Inch, county of Wigton. 2 As mentioned above, the latter village had only 18 inhabitants 1 in a reference dated 1846, one must agree with Black that the family likely came from the village near Hurlford. "The Airds of Holl and the Airds of Nether Catrine in Ayrshire were ranked as old families." 2 Early History of the Airds familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Airds research. Another 188 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1526, 1687, 1696, 1697, 1833, 1902 and 1911 are included under the topic Early Airds History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Airds Spelling VariationsSurnames that evolved in Scotland in the Middle Ages often appear under many spelling variations. These are due to the practice of spelling according to sound in the era before dictionaries had standardized the English language. Airds has appeared as Aird, Ard, Ayrd and others. Early Notables of the Airds familyMore information is included under the topic Early Airds Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Airds familyThe North American colonies beckoned, with their ample land and opportunity as their freedom from the persecution suffered by so many Clan families back home. Many Scots even fought against England in the American War of Independence to gain this freedom. Recently, clan societies have allowed the ancestors of these brave Scottish settlers to rediscover their familial roots. Among them: James Ard who settled in Barbados in 1680; with servants; John, Jane, and Mary Ard settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1767.
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: Vigilantia
Motto Translation: Vigilance.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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