Picearde History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

The annals of Scottish history reveal that Picearde was first used as a name by descendants of the Pictish tribe of ancient Scotland. The Picearde family lived in Picardy, a region of northern France. Bearers of the name made their way from Picardy and were "pike men" to England and Scotland. 1 2

Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the word "pic" or "pick," which is a Teutonic word for "hard" or "brave." 3

Not all of the family emigrated to ancient England and Scotland as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae listed Ralph, Engeram, Richard, Peter, Geoffry and Walter Picard in Normandy 1180-95. 4

"There is a Robert Pichard of about the same date to be found in the Rotuli Curiæ Regis, and the family is said to have been settled in Herefordshire during the preceding century. “That part of Ocle called Ocle Pichard derived its additional name from a family holding it soon after the Norman Conquest. Roger Pichard is mentioned in the Book of Fees made in the reign of Henry III. as holding of the honour of Webbeley." 5

Early Origins of the Picearde family

The surname Picearde was first found in Moray, where one of the first records of the family was Hugh Picard, who was a canon of Moray in 1266. A few years later, Stephen Pykard, was a knight of Gilbert de Umfraville, earl of Angus in 1279 and later still, John Pikard was juror on an inquest held at St. Andrews in 1302. Adam le Pycard was a Scottish prisoner of war from Stirling confined in Restormel Castle in 1305. Sir Patrick Picarde was rector of Torry in 1350. 6

Further to the south, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Alan Pichard in Yorkshire; Stephen Picard in Northumberland; Nicholas Pichard, in Shropshire; and Roger Pichard in Cambridgeshire. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Emma Picard and Ricardus Picard as both holding lands there at that time. 7

"Miles Picard was uninterruptedly Sheriff of Herefordshire from 1300 to 1306, and twice served as knight of the shire. It was he who, according to Nash, gave its name to Sapy-Pychard in Worcestershire, which he held of Stuteville. Roger Picard, probably his son, was Sheriff in 1318 and 1327, and must have been the last of the name at Ode Pychard, where Peter de Clavenhogh (Clanowe), who succeeded him, had a grant of free warren in 1334. Another Picard served as Sheriff in 1348 and 1349; and in 1356 Sir Henry Picard, Vintner and Lord Mayor of London, gave a great banquet in honour of the battle of Poitiers, at which both the Black Prince and his Royal captive were present. At a second and still more august entertainment, of even greater splendour, he feasted four crowned heads his own Sovereign, and the Kings of France, Scotland, and Cyprus, with a great assemblage of the nobles of the realm. ' And after,' says Stowe, ' the said Henry Picard kept his hall against all comers whosoever that were willing to play at dice and hazard.' " 5

Early History of the Picearde family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Picearde research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1350, 1430, 1436 and 1780 are included under the topic Early Picearde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Picearde Spelling Variations

During the Middle Ages, there was no basic set of rules and scribes wrote according to sound. The correct spelling of Scottish names were further compromised after many haphazard translations from Gaelic to English and back. Spelling variations of the name Picearde include Pickard, Picard and others.

Early Notables of the Picearde family

Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Picearde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Picearde family

Scots left their country by the thousands to travel to Australia and North America. Desperate for freedom and an opportunity to fend for themselves, many paid huge fees and suffered under terrible conditions on long voyages. Still, for those who made the trip, freedom and opportunity awaited. In North America, many fought their old English oppressors in the American War of Independence. In recent years, Scottish heritage has been an increasingly important topic, as Clan societies and other organizations have renewed people's interest in their history. An examination of passenger and immigration lists shows many early settlers bearing the name of Picearde: Aaron Picard arrived in Philadelphia in 1869; Cyrus, Josiah, Nathaniel and William Picard settled in Philadelphia in 1852.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)