Show ContentsBird History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient Anglo-Saxon culture once found in Britain is the soil from which the many generations of the Bird family have grown. The name Bird was given to a member of the family who was a person who worked as a bird catcher or someone who had birdlike characteristics. [1]

Early Origins of the Bird family

The surname Bird was first found in Cheshire at Broxton, a township, in the parish of Malpas, union of Great Boughton, Higher division of the hundred of Broxton. [2]

"Its principal home is in the east of England, south of the Wash, especially in Norfolk. It is scattered about the midland counties, and is also represented in Somerset and Dorset. In other parts of England it is absent or rare, but in the county of Worcester its absence is supplied by Byrd." [3]

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: David le Brid, Oxfordshire; John le Brid, Oxfordshire; Stefan Brid, Suffolk; and Geoffrey Bryd, Salop (Shropshire.) [4]

Over in Somerset, Henry le Brid, was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) [5]

Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Johannes Bridde as holding lands there at that time. [4]

Further to the north in Scotland, William Bird was admitted burgess of Aberdeen in 1443. [6]

Early History of the Bird family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bird research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1538, 1540, 1543, 1554, 1558, 1563, 1569, 1608, 1623, 1634, 1652, 1663, 1667, 1669, 1674, 1684, 1704, 1744 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bird History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bird Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Bird family name include Bird, Byrd, Byrde and others.

Early Notables of the Bird family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

  • Theophilus Bird, or Bourne, (1608-1663) an English actor; John Bird (died 1558), who was an English Carmelite monk and bishop
  • William Byrd I (1652-1704), was a London goldsmith who emigrated to America in 1669, and was a member of colonial Virginia's House of Burgesses. William Byrd II (1674-1744), was founder of Richmond, V...

Bird World Ranking

In the United States, the name Bird is the 972nd most popular surname with an estimated 29,844 people with that name. [7] However, in Canada, the name Bird is ranked the 531st most popular surname with an estimated 9,239 people with that name. [8] And in Australia, the name Bird is the 249th popular surname with an estimated 13,986 people with that name. [9] New Zealand ranks Bird as 281st with 2,161 people. [10] The United Kingdom ranks Bird as 182nd with 30,377 people. [11]

Ireland Migration of the Bird family to Ireland

Some of the Bird family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Bird migration to the United States +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Bird surname or a spelling variation of the name include :

Bird Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Richard Bird, who settled in Virginia in 1635
  • Rich Bird, who landed in Virginia in 1635 [12]
  • Richard Bird, who landed in Virginia in 1636 [12]
  • Jathnell Bird, who landed in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1641 [12]
  • Susan Bird, who arrived in Virginia in 1642 [12]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bird Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Samuel Bird, who landed in Virginia in 1749 [12]
  • Samuel Bird, who arrived in Maryland in 1777 [12]
Bird Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Bird, who landed in New York in 1824 [12]
  • John S Bird, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1827 [12]
  • John Bird, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1851 [12]
  • B Bird, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 [12]
  • M Bird, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 [12]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Bird migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bird Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Henry Bird U.E. who settled in Prince Edward County, Ontario c. 1783 [13]
  • Mr. James Bird U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1783 [13]
  • Mr. Thomas Bird Jr., U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1783 [13]
  • Mr. Thomas Bird Sr., U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1783 [13]
Bird Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mary Bird, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1811
  • Thomas Bird, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1811
  • Miss. Jane Bird, aged who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Herald" departing 20th May 1847 from Dublin, Ireland; the ship arrived on 26th June 1847 but she died on board [14]
  • Miss. Jane Bird, aged 18 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Sarah Maria" departing 7th May 1847 from Sligo, Ireland; the ship arrived on 28th June 1847 but she died on board [14]
  • Mr. Thomas Bird, aged 30 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Emigrant" departing 11th August 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 3rd October 1847 but he died on board [14]

Australia Bird migration to Australia +

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

Bird Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
  • Mr. John Bird, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [15]
Bird Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Bird, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [16]
  • Mr. Patrick Bird, (b. 1782), aged 27, Irish convict who was convicted in Carlow, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Boyd" on 10th March 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1812 [17]
  • Mr. Thomas Bird, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Boyd" on 10th March 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [17]
  • Miss Margaret Bird, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Canada" in March 1810, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [18]
  • Miss Mary Bird, English convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Canada" in March 1810, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [18]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Bird 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:

Bird Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • William Bird, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • John Bird, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • Reuben Bird, who landed in Nelson, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship Fifeshire
  • Reuben Bird, aged 28, a carpenter, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Fifeshire" in 1842 [19]
  • Ann Bird, aged 25, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Fifeshire" in 1842 [19]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bird Settlers in New Zealand in the 20th Century
  • Leonard Bird, aged 57, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "S. S. Waimana" in 1926
  • Leonard Bird, aged 22, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "S. S. Waimana" in 1926

West Indies Bird migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [20]
Bird Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • John Bird, who settled in Barbados in 1663

Contemporary Notables of the name Bird (post 1700) +

  • Rodger Paul Bird (1943-2020), American professional football player for the Oakland Raiders (1966-1968)
  • Jerry Lee Bird (1934-2017), American NBA basketball player
  • Forrest Morton Bird (1921-2015), American aviator, inventor, and biomedical engineer
  • Brigadier-General Whittier S. Bird (1898-1977), American Chief of Staff, 37th Division (1941) [21]
  • Robert Byron Bird (b. 1924), American chemical engineer awarded the National Medal of Science in 1987
  • Larry Bird (b. 1956), American basketball player, 12-time NBA All-Star
  • George Bird (1850-1940), American baseball player
  • Robert Montgomery Bird (1805-1854), American author
  • Kevin Bird (1952-2023), English professional footballer who played as a defender for Mansfield Town and Huddersfield Town (1972-1984)
  • John Bird (1709-1776), English Mathematical instrument maker
  • ... (Another 11 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Cornwall
  • John Minnitt Bird (d. 1942), British Chaplain aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking [22]
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Herbert G A Bird (b. 1922), English Ordnance Artificer 3rd Class serving for the Royal Navy from Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking [23]
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Thomas Frederick Bird, British Wireman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking [24]
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Fred Bird, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking [25]
RMS Lusitania
  • Mrs. Rose Bird, (née Holloway), English 2nd Class passenger from England, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking [26]
  • Miss Marian May Bird, English Stewardess from England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking by escaping in life boat 15 [27]
  • Mr. Walter Bird, English Chief Butcher from Stoneycroft, Lancashire, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking [27]
RMS Titanic
  • Miss Ellen Bird, aged 31, American First Class passenger from New York City, New York who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping in life boat 8 [28]
Senghenydd colliery
  • Mr. Samuel Bird (b. 1864), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died
SS Atlantic
  • Margaret Bird, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
St. Francis Dam
  • Mr. Solomon J. Bird, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
USS Arizona
  • Mr. Leroy A. Bird, American Chief Turret Captain working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking [29]


The Bird 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: Cruce spes mea
Motto Translation: My hope is in the cross.


Suggested Readings for the name Bird +

  • The American Descendants of Robert Bird by Katherine Moore Cushman.
  • Genealogical Sketch of the Bird Family, Having Its Origin in Hartford, Connecticut by Isaac Bird.

  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  6. 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)
  7. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  8. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  9. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  10. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  11. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  12. 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)
  13. 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
  14. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 65)
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Boyd
  18. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canada
  19. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  21. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 6) Whittier Bird. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Bird/Whittier_S./USA.html
  22. Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
  23. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  24. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  25. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  26. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  27. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  28. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
  29. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html


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