Belerd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancient Anglo-Saxon culture once found in Britain is the soil from which the many generations of the Belerd family have grown. The name Belerd was given to a member of the family who was a person known for their lack of hair. As a point of interest, the name is derived from the Old English word ball-ard, which means a bald headed man. 1

Another source claims the name was Celtic or Gaelic in origin "from Ball, a place, a round elevation; and ard, high. The Gaelic word Ballart signifies noisy, boasting. Bal also signifies a lord, and ard, high." 2 Yet another source claims the name was "an ancient baptismal name, Balard." 3

Early Origins of the Belerd family

The surname Belerd was first found in various counties and shire of England. Various sources claim different first records of the family. "Ballard is another old Kent name. The Ballards owned Sapinton manor from the time of Henry IV. until that of Philip and Mary. Robert Ballard, butler of Richard II., received from his Sovereign the manor of West Combe. In the reign of Henry VI., Thomas Ballard, of Horton Parva, was one of the sheriffs of Kent." 4

Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. The Curia Regis Rolls of 1196 listed Peter Ballard as holding lands in Northumberland at that time and later Adam Ballard holding lands in Cambridgeshire in 1210. Eluding to aforementioned "bald head" nickname, we found Robert Balheved in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1316 and later, Thomas Balhefd in Suffolk in 1402. 5

The source Kirby's Quest notes that that during the time of Edward III, Richard Balleheved and Petrr Ballard were listed in Somerset. 6 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Alurell Balard in Essex; Dreu Ballard in Huntingdonshire; and Thomas Ballard in Somerset. 1

Early History of the Belerd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Belerd research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1489, 1586, 1615, 1630, 1634, 1651, 1653, 1654, 1657, 1680, 1682, 1689 and 1710 are included under the topic Early Belerd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Belerd 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 Belerd family name include Ballard, Bellard, Bellhird, Belhyrd, Bellerd, Bellird, Belard, Balard, Ballird and many more.

Early Notables of the Belerd family

Distinguished members of the family include John Ballard (d. 1586), English Roman Catholic priest who owes his fame solely to his connection with the Babington conspiracy; Colonel Thomas Ballard (1630-1689) English-born, early American colonial Virginia landowner and politician, Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses 1680-1682; and his son, Colonel...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Belerd Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Belerd family

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 Belerd surname or a spelling variation of the name include : Mary Ballord, who arrived in Boston in 1635; William Ballord, who came to Boston in 1635; Hester Ballord, who arrived in Boston in 1635; Elizabeth Ballord, who arrived in Lynn, MA in 1635.

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)
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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.