Billard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

The ancient roots of the Billard family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Billard comes from when the family lived in Surrey. As a local name, it was derived from the local 'at the hill-garth' or 'hill-yard.' 1

"Hildyard, formerly Hildheard, [was] an ancient personal name. The family are said to have sprung from Robert Hildheard, of Normanby, Yorkshire, in the year 1109." 2

Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the Old German Hildigard, Hildiardis (f) ‘war stronghold’ 3

And finally, the name could also have been an occupational name for a hellier who was a roofer, tiler, or thatcher. 4

Early Origins of the Billard family

The surname Billard was first found in Surrey where the name was first listed as a forename, Hildiard de Trule in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1206. Hyldeiard (with no forename) was registered in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1228 and Robert Hildyard, Hiliard was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls for 1275 in Yorkshire. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Robert de Hildgard, Yorkshire; Robert de Hildyard, Yorkshire; Robert Hiliard, Yorkshire; Robert Hildeyerd, Yorkshire. "These four entries represent, no doubt, the same individual." 1

Early History of the Billard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Billard research. Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1109, 1485, 1537, 1602, 1612, 1619, 1640, 1660, 1670, 1685, 1689, 1690, 1716, 1729, 1743, 1746, 1781 and 1814 are included under the topic Early Billard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Billard Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Billard has appeared include Hilliard, Hildyard, Hillard, Hildheard and others.

Early Notables of the Billard family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Christopher Hildyard (d. 1602), whose tomb is in Church of St. German in Winestead, as well as a Hildyard, Sheriff of Nottingham. Nicholas Hilliard (1537-1619), was an English miniature painter, court painter to Elizabeth and to James I. His son, Lawrence Hilliard (d. 1640), English miniature painter continued his father's work. 5Thomas Hildeyard (1690-1746), was a Jesuit, of a respectable Lincolnshire...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Billard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Billard Ranking

In Newfoundland, Canada, the name Billard is the 387^th most popular surname with an estimated 121 people with that name. 6 However, in France, the name Billard is ranked the 454^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,586 people with that name. 7

Billard migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Billard arrived in North America very early:

Billard Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Peter Billard, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 8

Billard migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Billard Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Jehanne Billard, who landed in Acadia in 1636
Pérette Billard married in 1662 in Quebec

Contemporary Notables of the name Billard (post 1700) +

Barbara "Bobbi" Billard (b. 1975), American glamour model, actress, and former professional wrestler
Commandant Frederick C Billard (1873-1932), sixth Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from 1924 until his death 9
Pierre Joseph Billard, French Divisional General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 10
Martine Billard (b. 1952), French politician, Member of the French National Assembly for Paris I (2002-2012)
Brian Billard, Australian politician, Member for Newland, South Australia (1979-1982)
Émile Billard (1852-1930), French gold medalist sailor at the 1900 Summer Olympics
Joël Billard (b. 1953), French politician, Member of the Senate of France
Lani Billard (b. 1979), Canadian actress, best known for her role as Elizabeth "Busy" Ramone on the television series Ready or Not from 1993-1997

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Burke, John and Burke, Sir Bernard, C.B. LL.D Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage. London: Harrison, 59, Pall Mall, 1865, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
Frederick Billard. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Frederick Billard. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_C._Billard
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, February 11) Pierre Billard. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html