Place of Birth

Georgia
Tribal Affiliation

Choctaw-Creek
Surname Heritage

France / Germany / Ireland / England / Scotland

Barnard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Strongbownian invaders added their Norman conventions for surnames to the previously established Irish system for hereditary surnames. One of the most frequent forms of surnames for both cultures was the patronymic surname, which was formed from the name of the bearer’s father or grandfather. The Norman tradition that the followers of Strongbowbrought with them created such a surname through diminutive suffixes such as -ot, -et, -un, -in, or -el. Occasionally, two suffixes were combined to form a double diminutive, as in the combinations of -el-in, -el-ot, -in-ot, and -et-in. The Normans also formed patronymic surnames in a manner very similar to the Irish: they added a prefix to their father’s name. These Anglo-Norman people, however, used the prefix Fitz-, which was derived from the French word fils, and ultimately from the Latin filius, which both mean son. Although this prefix probably originated in Flanders or Normandy, it can now only be found in Ireland. The surname Barnard is derived from the Germanic personal name Bernhard, which consists of the elements ber or bern, which mean bear, and hard, which means brave, handy, or strong.

Early Origins of the Barnard family

The surname Barnard was first found in Westmorland, where they had been granted lands by King William for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Sir Theophilus, a Norman knight, who assisted William the Conqueror in the conquest of England was succeeded by his son, Sir Dorbard, who took the surname Bernard. Sir Dorbard’s descendants settled at Acornbank in the county of Westmorland, but stayed in good favor with the royalty. In 1172 King Henry II took Robert Fitz Bernard with him to Ireland, in the invasion of Ireland, and entrusted to his care the counties of Wexford and Waterford.

Fulk Baynard (fl. 1226), was an early Itinerant Justice, seated at Merton, Norfolk, and was specially constituted a justice for a single occasion in November 1226. [1]

Robert Baynard (d. 1331), son of Fulk Baynard, was a judge and was elected knight of the shire for Norfolk several times between 1289 and 1327. [1]

Early History of the Barnard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barnard research.

Barnard Spelling Variations

Medieval scribes and church officials spelled the names as they sounded, so a name was often spelled many different ways during the lifetime of a single person. The investigation of the origin of the name Barnard revealed many spelling variations including Bernard, Barnard, Bernyrd, Barnerd, Barnart, Barnert, Barnarde and many more.

Early Notables of the Barnard family (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the family up to this time was Ann Baynard (1672-1697), a British natural philosopher and model of piety. John Barnard (fl. 1641), was an English musician, of whose life nothing else is known and was a minor canon of St. Paul’s in the reign of Charles I. “He was the first who made a collection of cathedral music, and it is through his most valuable collection that some of the finest specimens of the English school of the sixteenth century have been preserved.

Barnard World Ranking

In the United States, the name Barnard is the 1,355^th most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. [2] However, in the United Kingdom, the name Barnard is ranked the 638^th most popular surname with an estimated 10,304 people with that name. [3] And in South Africa, the name Barnard is the 169^th popular surname with an estimated 37,329 people with that name. [4]

Barnard migration to the United States +

During the middle of the 19th century, Irish families often experienced extreme poverty and racial discrimination in their own homeland under English rule. Record numbers died of disease and starvation and many others, deciding against such a fate, boarded ships bound for North America. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Unfortunately, many of those Irish that arrived in Canada or the United States still experienced economic and racial discrimination. Although often maligned, these Irish people were essential to the rapid development of these countries because they provided the cheap labor required for the many canals, roads, railways, and other projects required for strong national infrastructures. Eventually the Irish went on to make contributions in the less backbreaking and more intellectual arenas of commerce, education, and the arts. Research early immigration and passenger lists revealed many early immigrants bearing the name Barnard:

Barnard Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Barnard, aged 21, who landed in Virginia in 1622 aboard the ship “Furtherance” [5]
John Barnard, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1630 [5]
Richard Barnard, aged 24, who arrived in New York in 1633 [5]
John Barnard, who landed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1634 [5]
Massachel Barnard, who landed in Weymouth, Massachusetts in 1637 [5]

Barnard Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Sarah Barnard, who landed in Virginia in 1719 [5]
Thomas Barnard who arrived in Connecticut in 1724
Daniel Barnard, who settled in Maryland in 1732
John Barnard, who arrived in New Hampshire in 1740
Francois Barnard, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1764 [5]

Barnard Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Catherine Barnard, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1819
Benjamin Barnard, who settled in New York in 1820
Gen. Barnard, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1822 [5]
M G Barnard, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 [5]
Nathaniel Barnard, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 [5]

Barnard migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Barnard Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Matthew Barnard, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
Mrs. Barnard, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Mathew Barnard, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Mr. Alexander Barnard U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1783 [6]
Mr. James Barnard U.E. who settled in New Brunswick c. 1783 he was a member of the Cape Ann Association [6]

Barnard migration to Australia+

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Barnard Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. Richard Barnard, English convict who was convicted in Sussex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Barwell” in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [7]

Barnard Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Barnard, English convict from York, who was transported aboard the “Andromeda” on October 16, 1826, settling in Van Diemen’s Land, Australia [8]
John Ewing Barnard, who arrived in Kangaroo Bay aboard the ship “Tam O’Shanter” in 1836 [9]
Miss Mary Ann Barnard, English Convict who was convicted in Westminster, London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Atwick” on 28 September 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen’s Land) [10]
Miss Mary Ann Barnard, English Convict who was convicted in Bideford, Devon, Englandfor 7 years, transported aboard the “Atwick” on 28 September 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen’s Land) [10]
Mrs. Mary Ann Barnard, (b. 1818), aged 19 born in Helston, Cornwall, UK convicted in Devon on 3rd July 1837, sentenced for 7 years for stealing a watch, transported aboard the ship “Atwick” in 1838 to Van Diemen’s Land, Tasmania, Australia [11]

Barnard 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:

Barnard Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Alfred Barnard, who landed in Nelson, New Zealand in 1840
Mr. James Barnard, (b. 1813), aged 26, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship “Oriental” arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 [12]
Mrs. Barnard, (b. 1812), aged 27, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship “Oriental” arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 [12]
Alfred Barnard, aged 23, a plumber, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship “London” in 1842
Clara Elizabeth Barnard, aged 22, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship “London” in 1842

Barnard migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960’s many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [13]

Barnard Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Richard Barnard, (b. 1611), aged 23, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship “Hopewell” arriving in Barbados on 17th February 1634 [5]
George Barnard, who landed in Barbados in 1663 [5]

Contemporary Notables of the name Barnard (post 1700) +

Druie Douglas Barnard Jr. (1922-2018), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia (1977-1993)
Alfred James Barnard (b. 1920), American chemist and director of Analytical Services of T. J. Baker Chemical Co
Frederick Augustus Porter Barnard (1809-1889), American scientist & educator
Henry Barnard (1811-1900), American jurist, educator and politician
George Grey Barnard (1863-1938), American sculptor
Edward Emerson Barnard (1857-1923), American astronomer
Lloyd G. Barnard, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Navy, during World War II, credited with 8 aerial victories
Thomas Barnard (1728-1806), Irish Bishop of Limerick, the eldest son of Dr. William Barnard, Bishop of Derry [14]
Sir Andrew Francis Barnard (1773-1855), Irish general, born at Fahan in the county of Donegal, son of the Rev. Dr. Henry Barnard, of Bovagh, County Londonderry [14]
Robert Graeme “Bob” Barnard AM (1933-2022), Australian trumpet and cornet player who was nominated for the 1996 ARIA Award for Best Jazz Album with his album Live At The Sydney Opera House