Surname Burnard - Meaning and Origin
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Burnard: What does the surname Burnard mean?
The surname Burnard is believed to have originated from a French-Norman personal name, Burnel, which is derived from the Old French word "burne" or "brenne" meaning "a stream or small river." Over the centuries, the spelling of the name has varied due to several regional and linguistic influences. It is believed that there are several recorded origins of the name, including Burnard from Normandy; Burnhard from Prussia; Bernerhet from Lyonnais; Burnetti from Italy; and Bürner from Germany.
The Burnard surname is likely a toponymic surname, referring to someone who was born or lived near a stream or small river. It may also be a habitational surname, indicating that a person comes from a place that is called Burnard, Burnhart, Bernerhet, Burnetti, or Bürner.
The name Burnard was probably brought to English shores from France and Germany sometime around the 12th century when it was borne by refugees fleeing persecution during the Anglo-Norman Conquest. Since then, it has been widely spread throughout the British Isles and is currently common in England, Scotland, and Wales. In Gaelic, the name Burnard is known to mean "from the little stream."
The Burnard surname continues to live on, having a presence in many countries around the world. In the United States, the surname is most commonly found in the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio. It also shows some presence in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Order DNA origin analysisBurnard: Where does the name Burnard come from?
The last name Burnard is most likely of English origin. It is derived from the Old French word ‘burn’ meaning stream. The name is derived from the presence of a stream near a person's residence.
Today, the surname Burnard is most commonly found in northern France, particularly in the regions of Normandy and Brittany. There are also records of the surname being found in France in the 16th and 17th centuries.
It is also fairly common in England, particularly in Wessex, the Midlands and East Anglia. These regions have carried the surname since medieval times.
Burnard is a surname that is also found in Canada, the United States, and Australia. Many bearers of the surname Burnard have emigrated to these countries, particularly since the 19th century.
The Burnard surname is also relatively common in Scotland, most notably in the regions of Highland and Aberdeenshire. Records indicate that the Burnard family has been present in Scotland since the 16th century.
The family can also be found in New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe. In particular, the Burkina Faso region of West Africa has seen a large influx of Burnards in the last two centuries. There are also records of the surname in Singapore and India.
Overall, the surname Burnard is distributed quite widely, with a strong presence in England, France, Scotland, the United States, Australia, Canada, and several African countries.
Variations of the surname Burnard
The surname Burnard is of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin, and is derived from two distinct sources. The first is from the Old English personal name Beornheard or Beornhearde, which in turn is composed of the elements "beorn," meaning "bear," and "heard," or "brave." The second source of the name is from the word "burn," referring to a stream and thus a local landmark. Combined, the name can be interpreted as a brave man of the stream.
Variants of Burnard include Burnhard, Burnhardt, Burnett, Burnitt, Bournard, Bernhardt, Bernhard, and Bernharde. Spellings of Burnard may vary widely, including Byrnhard, Biernhardt, Birnhard, Byrnhardt, Bernhardy, Bornhardt, Beurnhard, and Bohrnhardt.
Surnames of similar origin include Bernardino, Bernardini, Bernardes, Burnetts, and Barnards. Burnards may also be encountered with the patronymic prefixes Fitzburnard and MacBurnard.
The spread of the Burnard surname likely follows the Norman Conquest of 1066, in which many of the bearers of the name would have spread and settled in various areas throughout England. The name is common in England and Scotland, especially in the East Midlands and Yorkshire. Today, the Burnard surname is still most common in England.
Famous people with the name Burnard
- Chris Burnard: British rugby league player who has represented his country in several international games.
- Lisa Burnard: British actress who has appeared in a number of television shows, most notably the soap opera Coronation Street.
- Helen Burnard: Irish actress who has starred in television programmes such as Reeling in the Years and Red Rock.
- Faye Burnard: British actress who has appeared in various television shows including Birds of a Feather and Casualty.
- Paul Burnard: Canadian director of photography who has worked on movies such as The Grey and Aftermath.
- Eric Burnard: French actor who has credits in films such as White Material and The Dreamlife of Angels.
- Chris Burnard: British music producer who has worked on albums by Stereophonics, Led Zeppelin, and many others.
- John Burnard: British television producer and playwright who created the series Doctors and The Bill.
- Marshall Burnard: American actor and comedian who has appeared in films such as Get Him to the Greek and The Soloist.
- Dave Burnard: British Jazz musician who is noted for his work with the group Jamiroquai.