| The surname BIRD or BYRD was first attached to an individual who lived
at, or by the sign of the bird; also to one who had the characteristics
of a bird.
The original name was Bird, but about the 15th century some families changed the spelling to Byrd. William Byrd who settled in America about 1674 could trace his ancestry back to Hugo Le Bird of Charleston, England about the 13th century. The family name Bird was well established in England by the 12th century
with the (le) before the name. The following members of the BIRD family
in America have traced their ancestry back to one, or more of the barons
who met with King John in 1215 to sign the Magna Charta:
BIRD, Charles Sumner back to Hugh Bigot BIRD, Francis Marion back to Richard de Clare BIRD, Annie Laurie back to Gilbert de Clare |
THE ABOVE NAMES LISTED IN THE MAGNA CHARTA VOLUMES.