Kerd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Kerd

What does the name Kerd mean?

Kerd comes from the kingdom of Dalriada in ancient Scotland. It was a name for a person who worked as a worker in brass. The name Kerd is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic "ceard", which refers to a craftsman, a traveling tinker who repaired pots and kettles, and a worker in brass. The family is believed to have made many of the Highland plaid brooches of brass.

Early Origins of the Kerd family

The surname Kerd was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Kerd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kerd research. Another 196 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1275 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Kerd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kerd Spelling Variations

Historical recordings of the name Kerd include many spelling variations. They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. They include Caird, Kaird, Kerd, Keard, Ceard, Kerde, McIncaird, McKincaird, Kincaird and many more.

Early Notables of the Kerd family

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

Migration of the Kerd family to Ireland

Some of the Kerd family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kerd family

Many who arrived from Scotland settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would go on to become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. In the American War of Independence, many settlers who remained loyal to England went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Their descendants later began to recover the lost Scottish heritage through events such as the highland games that dot North America in the summer months. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Kerd family emigrate to North America: William Caird settled in New Hampshire in 1718; Thomas Caird settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1765.