Herd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

Early Origins of the Herd family

The surname Herd was first found in Bavaria, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power. The most important of these branches was that seated at Grabenstadt who were raised to the rank of cavaliers in 1579.

Early History of the Herd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Herd research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1762 and 1813 are included under the topic Early Herd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Herd Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Hardt, Hart, Hard and others.

Early Notables of the Herd family

More information is included under the topic Early Herd Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Herd Ranking

the United States, the name Herd is the 5,583^rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Herd migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Second Fleet

Mr. John Herd, (Heard), (1743 - 1813), aged 47, British settler convicted in Devon, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Atlantic" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 2

Following the Second Fleet, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Herd Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Peter Herd, English convict who was convicted in Preston, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bangalore" on 1st January 1850, arriving in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia 3
Isabella Herd, aged 35, a needlewoman, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Epaminondas" 4
James Herd, aged 23, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Marion" 5

Herd 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:

Herd Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Alfred Herd, aged 32, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856
Mary Herd, aged 26, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856
George Herd, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mermaid" in 1859 6
Mr. George Herd, British settler travelling from Liverpool aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th October 1859 7
Mr. Joseph Herd, (b. 1847), aged 13, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Herd (post 1700) +

Richard Herd Jr. (1932-2020), American actor, known for (I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (1977), F.I.S.T. (1978), The China Syndrome (1979), The Onion Field (1979)), The Rockford Files (1974), The Streets of San Francisco (1972) and many more
Harold Shields Herd (1918-2007), Kansas Supreme Court justice
Jim Herd (b. 1939), former American professional wrestling executive
Benjamin Alexander Herd (b. 1985), English former professional footballer who played as a defender, current manager of Hertford Town
Alec Herd (1911-1982), Scottish professional footballer, born in Bowhill, Fife, he played as a forward for Hamilton Academical, Manchester City and Stockport County
Alexander "Sandy" Herd (1868-1944), Scottish professional golfer who won The Open Championship in 1902 at Hoylake
Christopher "Chris" Herd (b. 1989), Australian former international footballer who made 137 appearances including for the Australia National Team
George Herd (1936-2024), Scottish footballer who played for Inverness Thistle, Queen's Park, Clyde, Sunderland, Vancouver Royal Canadians, Hartlepool United and Scotland
Mr. Joseph Herd M.B.E., British Social Justice Manager for St Luke’s High School, Barrhead, appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to Community Cohesion, to Education and to charity in East Renfrewshire 8
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/australasia
South Australian Register Monday 26th December 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Epaminondas 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/epaminondas1853.shtml
South Australian Register Tuesday 12th December 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Marion 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/marion1854.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists