Show ContentsBearde History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient Scottish name Bearde was first used by someone who worked as a poet, which was originally derived from the Gaelic word bard. 1

Early Origins of the Bearde family

The surname Bearde 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 Bearde family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bearde 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 Bearde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bearde Spelling Variations

In the era before dictionaries, there were no rules governing the spelling or translation of names or any other words. Consequently, there are an enormous number of spelling variations in Medieval Scottish names. Bearde has appeared as Baird, Bard, Barde, Baard, Bayard, Beard and many more.

Early Notables of the Bearde 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 advocate, judge, politician and diplomat, Commissioner for Aberdeenshire in the Parliament of Scotland; Sir William Baird, 1st and 2nd Baronet of Newbyth (1654-1737); Sir John Baird, 2nd and 3rd Baronet of Newbyth (1686-1745); Sir Robert Baird, 1st Baronet of Saughtonhall (died 1697); and his son...
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bearde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Bearde family to Ireland

Some of the Bearde 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.


New Zealand Bearde 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:

Bearde Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Charles Bearde, (b.1850), aged 25, Cornish settler departing on 7th January 1875 aboard the ship "Tintern Abbey" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 2nd May 1875 2


The Bearde 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.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf


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