First found in Westmorland, where they had been granted lands by King William for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.Sir Theophilus, a Norman knight, who assisted William the Conqueror in the conquest of England was succeeded by his son, Sir Dorbard, who took the surname Bernard. Sir Dorbard's descendants settled at Acornbank in the county of Westmorland, but stayed in good favor with the royalty. In 1172 King Henry II took Robert Fitz Bernard with him to Ireland, in the invasion of Ireland, and entrusted to his care the counties of Wexford and Waterford.

Ireland's Great Potato Famine left the country's inhabitants in extreme poverty and starvation. Many families left their homeland for North America for the promise of work, freedom and land ownership. Although the Irish were not free of economic and racial discrimination in North America, they did contriBute greatly to the rapid development of bridges, canals, roads, and railways. Eventually, they would be accepted in other areas such as commerce, education, and the arts. An examination of immigration and passenger lists revealed many bearing the name Barnard: Nathanill Bernard, who arrived in St. Christopher in 1635; Francis Bernard, who came to Virginia in 1665; James Bernard, a servant sent to Virginia in 1662.

Motto Translated: Tried virtue will flourish.

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