BIRD
The surname Bird is an English name, originating from the Middle English term bird or brid, which denoted a bird. The name was originally employed as a nickname for an individual who displayed qualities reminiscent of a bird – such as a melodious singing voice, a light and agile disposition, or a bright appearance.
Variations in spelling include Bird, Byrd, Byrde and Bride. These variants illustrate the fluid orthographic practices of early English, where surnames were not yet fixed and were recorded by scribes according to local dialects and the phonetic perception of the name bearers.
The earliest documented instance of the family name is that of Earnald Brid, dated 1193 in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire during the reign of King Richard I. Subsequent early witnesses include Ralph le Brid, a participant in the Fines Court of Essex in 1231, and Richard Bird, a witness in the Assize Court of Cambridgeshire in 1260. The spelling Bride first appears as a surname in 1332 with John Bride listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Cumberland, followed by Johannes Bridde in the 1379 Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire.
In addition to its use as a descriptive nickname, the surname may have derived from an occupational background. A bird catcher, for instance, might have been referred to metaphorically as a Birdclever, a shortened form of the name recorded in the 1427 Calverley Charters of Yorkshire. The metonymic association thus links the bearers of the name to professions involving birds.
The surname also features in the early colonial record of the New World. Henry Bird is noted as an early settler in 1679, purchasing a ticket for the ship Amity sailing from Barbados to London, an event documented in the primary shipping registers of the period.
In more recent times, the name has attracted international attention through the celebrated cricket umpire “Dickie” Bird of Yorkshire, whose contributions to the sport have rendered the surname well known beyond the United Kingdom.
Typical given names associated with the Bird surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Joanne
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Baird
- Bard
- Barde
- Barda
- Bardi
- Bardo
- Bardes
- Baarda
- Birds
- Baerd
- Baard
- Bairds
- Brid
- Bir
- Bira
- Birde
- Birdi
- Bards
- Barrd
- Beaird
- Beard
- Bearde
- Beird
- Berd
- Berde
- Berdo
- Biard
- Bierd
- Birdee
- Birdey
- Birdie
- Birdy
- Birt
- Board
- Boarde
- Bord
- Borda
- Borde
- Bordi
- Bourd
- Bourde
- Burd
- Burda
- Burde
- Burdi
- Burds
- Burrd
- Burred
- Byrd
- Byrde
- Bairdow
- Bardai
- Bardie
- Bardoe
- Bardou
- Bardy
- Beards
- Berdai
- Berdie
- Berdoe
- Berdou
- Berdy
- Boards
- Bordea
- Bordei
- Bordes
- Bordie
- Bordy
- Bourda
- Burdes
- Burdue
- Burdy
- Barot
- Barrat
- Barrett
- Barretto
- Birden
- Brade
- Bradie
- Bratt
- Brett
- Brito
- Brodie
- Burt
- Burtt
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Bird in...
Braille
⠃⠊⠗⠙
Morse
-......-.-..
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Bird are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Bourbon.
There are approximately 39,320 people named Bird in the UK. That makes it the 191st most common surname in Britain. Around 604 in a million people in Britain are named Bird.
Surname type: Nickname
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Bird
- Lliana Bird - Radio presenter
- Simon Bird - Actor and comedian
- Harley Bird - Actress
- Martina Topley-Bird - Vocalist and songwriter
- Larry Bird - American basketball player, coach, executive
- Jade Bird - Singer
- Nikki Amuka-Bird - Actress
- Dickie Bird - Cricket umpire
- Sam Bird - Racing driver for Virgin Racing in Formula E and AF Corse in the World Endurance Championship
- Sue Bird - Basketball player
- Brad Bird - American director, screenwriter, animator, producer and occasional voice actor
- John Bird - Satirist, actor and comedian
- Norman Bird - Actor (1920 to 2005)
- Isabella Bird - Explorer (1831 to 1904)
- Jackie Bird - Scottish journalist, TV news presenter
- Antonia Bird - Film director (1951 to 2013)
- Adrian Bird - Geneticist and Professor at the University of Edinburgh
- Ryan Bird - Football player
- Henry Bird - Artist (1909 to 2000)
- Cyril Kenneth Bird - Cartoonist (1887 to 1965)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.