Byrd is a

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

, a variant spelling of the English word "

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

," which is derived from the

Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...

pre-7th-century word "bridde" (

Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English p ...

"brid" or "bird"). Another common variant of this surname is "

Bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

Origin and variants

Byrd is a metonymic

occupational Employment is a relationship between two party (law), parties Regulation, regulating the provision of paid Labour (human activity), labour services. Usually based on a employment contract, contract, one party, the employer, which might be a co ...

or descriptive name that was originally used for a person who worked as a bird catcher (name shortened from "birdclever"), or someone who had bird-like characteristics (i.e., bright eyed or active, or perhaps one with a beautiful singing voice). Retrieved 23 June 2018 A part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

, the surname Byrd was first found in

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...

at Broxton, a village and

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...

North West England North West England is one of nine official regions of England and consists of the ceremonial counties of England, administrative counties of Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside. The North West had a population of ...

. The surname was first recorded in

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

towards the end of the 12th Century as "Le Brid(d)." Retrieved 23 June 2018 Until the gradual standardization of English spelling in the last few centuries, English lacked any comprehensive system of spelling. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later

Anglo-Norman Anglo-Norman may refer to: *Anglo-Normans, the medieval ruling class in England following the Norman conquest of 1066 * Anglo-Norman language **Anglo-Norman literature * Anglo-Norman England, or Norman England, the period in English history from 10 ...

documents, meaning that a person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. As such, different variations of the Byrd surname usually have the same origin.

Notable people with the surname

* Alma W. Byrd (1924–2017), American politician *

Bill Byrd William Byrd (July 15, 1907 – January 4, 1991) was an American professional baseball player in the Negro leagues. Born in Canton, Georgia, he was a right-handed pitcher. He was named in eight All-Star games for six seasons. Byrd also saw actio ...

(1907–1991), baseball player *

Bobby Byrd Bobby Howard Byrd (August 15, 1934 – September 12, 2007) was an American rhythm and blues, soul and funk singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, bandleader and talent scout, who played an integral and important part in the development ...

(1934–2007), American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, and musician * Butch Byrd (born 1941), AFL Hall of Fame *

Charles Willing Byrd Charles Willing Byrd (July 26, 1770 – August 25, 1828) was Secretary of the Northwest Territory, acting Governor of the Northwest Territory and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Ohio. Educ ...

(1770–1828), first sitting justice on the United States District Court of Ohio *

Charlie Byrd Charlie Lee Byrd (September 16, 1925 – December 2, 1999) was an American jazz guitarist. Byrd was best known for his association with Brazilian music, especially bossa nova. In 1962, he collaborated with Stan Getz on the album '' Jazz Samba' ...

(1925–1999), American jazz guitarist *

Chris Byrd Christopher Cornelius Byrd (born August 15, 1970) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2009. He is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having first won the WBO title in 2000 after an upset corner stoppage over th ...

(born 1970), heavyweight champion in boxing *

Conley Byrd Conley Francis Byrd Sr. (January 14, 1925 – July 19, 2014) was a justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court from 1967 to 1980. Born in Poughkeepsie, Arkansas, Byrd began picking cotton when he was six years old, on his family's farm. After graduati ...

(1925–2014), Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court *

Curley Byrd Harry Clifton "Curley" Byrd (February 12, 1889 – October 2, 1970) was an American university administrator, educator, athlete, coach, and politician. Byrd began a long association with the University of Maryland as an undergraduate in 1905, and ...

(1889–1970), American university administrator, educator, athlete, coach, and politician *

Damiere Byrd Damiere Byrd (born January 27, 1993) is an American football wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at South Carolina and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Carolina ...

(born 1993), American football player *

Darryl Byrd Darryl Terrence Byrd (born September 3, 1960) is a former American football linebacker who played three seasons with the Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Cham ...

(born 1960), American football player *

David Edward Byrd David Edward Byrd (born April 4, 1941) is an American graphic artist, designer, illustrator and painter. Many of his design are considered to have helped define the look of rock and roll music starting in the 1960s. He is most well known for his ...

(born 1941), an American graphic designer and painter *

Dennis Byrd Dennis DeWayne Byrd (October 5, 1966 – October 15, 2016) was an American football defensive end and defensive tackle for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He attended college at the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma. ...

(1966–2016), American football player *

Donald Byrd Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American jazz and rhythm & blues trumpeter and vocalist. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd was one of the few hard bop m ...

(1932–2013), American jazz trumpeter *

Harry Byrd (baseball) Harry Gladwin Byrd (February 3, 1925 – May 14, 1985) was an American Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Athletics, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, and Detroit Tigers. He w ...

(1925–1985) *

Harry F. Byrd Harry Flood Byrd Sr. (June 10, 1887 – October 20, 1966) was an American newspaper publisher, politician, and leader of the Democratic Party in Virginia for four decades as head of a political faction that became known as the Byrd Organization. ...

(1887–1966), U.S. senator for Virginia *

Harry F. Byrd Jr. Harry Flood Byrd Jr. (December 20, 1914 – July 30, 2013) was an American orchardist, newspaper publisher and politician. He served in the Senate of Virginia and then represented Virginia in the United States Senate, succeeding his father, Harr ...

(1914–2013), U.S. senator for Virginia from 1965 until 1983 * Henry Roeland Byrd (1918–1980), blues musician *

Imhotep Gary Byrd Imhotep Gary Byrd (born March 14, 1949) is an American, New York City-based radio talk show host and executive producer, radio DJ, poet, songwriter, music recording artist and producer, rapper, writer and community advocate/activist. Byrd began h ...

, radio host and musician *

Jairus Byrd Jairus Keelon Byrd (born October 7, 1986) is a former American football free safety. He played college football for the University of Oregon. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He is a three-time Pro Bo ...

(born 1986), American football player *

James Byrd Jr. James Byrd Jr. (May 2, 1949 – June 7, 1998) was a black American man who was murdered by three white men, two of whom were avowed white supremacists, in Jasper, Texas, on June 7, 1998. Shawn Berry, Lawrence Brewer, and John King dragged him fo ...

(1949–1998), murder victim *

Jefferson Byrd Jefferson L. Byrd (born June 16, 1971) is an American politician from New Mexico. He is a member of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission from the 2nd district, which covers Chaves, Colfax, Curry, De Baca, Eddy, Guadalupe, Harding, Lea, ...

(born 1971), American politician *

Jerry Byrd Gerald Lester Byrd (March 9, 1920 – April 11, 2005) was an American musician who played the lap steel guitar in country and Hawaiian music, as well as a singer-songwriter and the head of a music publishing firm. He appeared on numerous radio p ...

(1920–2005), American lap steel guitarist *

Joseph Byrd Joseph Hunter Byrd, Jr. (born December 19, 1937) is an American composer, musician and academic. After first becoming known as an experimental composer in New York City and Los Angeles in the early and mid-1960s, he became the leader of The Un ...

(born 1937), rock musician *

Jonathan Byrd (musician) Jonathan Byrd (born 1970 in Fayetteville, North Carolina) is an American singer-songwriter based in Carrboro, North Carolina. He is best known for his narrative tales of love, life, and death in America. In 2003, he was among the winners of ...

(born circa 1970), folk singer-songwriter * Leo Byrd (born 1937), American basketball player *

Marlon Byrd Marlon Jerrard Byrd (born August 30, 1977) is an American former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, New Yo ...

(born 1977), baseball player *

Mary E. Byrd Mary Emma Byrd (November 15, 1849 – July 13, 1934) was an American educator and is considered a pioneer astronomy teacher at college level. She was also an astronomer in her own right, determining cometary positions by photography. Early life M ...

(1849–1934), American educator *

Mary Willing Byrd Mary Willing Byrd (September 10, 1740 – March 1814) was an American planter. She was the second wife of Colonel William Byrd III, a Colonial American military officer at the time of the American Revolution and son of the founder of Richmond, Vir ...

(1740–1814), second wife of Colonel William Byrd III *

Paul Byrd Paul Gregory Byrd (born December 3, 1970), is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher, who is currently a TV sports broadcaster for Atlanta Braves games on Bally Sports Southeast. While pitching in Major League Baseball (MLB), f ...

(born 1970), baseball player *

Petri Hawkins-Byrd Petri Hawkins-Byrd (born Petri Adonis Byrd; November 29, 1957 in Brooklyn, New York), better known as Bailiff Byrd or simply Byrd, is an American court show bailiff, television personality, social media personality, actor, voice actor, writer, ...

(born 1957), bailiff "Byrd" on the ''Judge Judy'' TV series *

Richard Byrd (American football) Richard Ellen Byrd (born March 20, 1962) is a former professional American football nose tackle in the National Football League (NFL), who played five seasons for the Houston Oilers The Houston Oilers were a professional American football te ...

(born 1962), former gridiron football player *

Richard E. Byrd Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr. (October 25, 1888 – March 11, 1957) was an American naval officer and explorer. He was a recipient of the Medal of Honor, the highest honor for valor given by the United States, and was a pioneering American aviator, p ...

(1888–1957), admiral, polar explorer, aviator *

Robert Byrd Robert Carlyle Byrd (born Cornelius Calvin Sale Jr.; November 20, 1917 – June 28, 2010) was an American politician and musician who served as a United States senator from West Virginia for over 51 years, from 1959 until his death in 2010. A ...

(1917–2010), U.S. Senator, Democrat from West Virginia *

Sammy Byrd Samuel Dewey Byrd (October 5, 1906 – May 11, 1981) was an American professional baseball outfielder and professional golfer. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) and on the PGA Tour. Byrd is the only person to play in both the World Series ...

(1910–1981), baseball player for the New York Yankees and PGA Tour golfer *

Steve Byrd Stephen John "Steve" Byrd (25 September 1955 – 2 October 2016) was an English guitarist and session musician who has worked with artists including Kim Wilde (from 1982–95), Ian Gillan of Deep Purple, ZZebra and many others. Initially a self-t ...

(1955–2016), English rock musician *

Thomas Jefferson Byrd Thomas Jefferson Byrd (June 25, 1950 – October 3, 2020) was an American character actor who played in several of director Spike Lee's films. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in the 2003 B ...

(1950–2020), American actor *

Tracy Byrd (boxer) Tracy Michelle Byrd (born August 27, 1964, Flint, Michigan) is an American female boxer. Early life Byrd comes from a boxing family: her father, Joe Byrd, is a former boxer who trained her. Her brother Antoine once lost to Roy Jones Jr. in ...

(born 1964) *

Tracy Byrd Tracy Lynn Byrd (born December 17, 1966) is an American country music artist. Signed to Universal Music Group Nashville, MCA Nashville Records in 1992, Byrd broke through on the country music scene that year with his 1993 single "Holdin' Heaven" ...

(born 1966), country singer *

William Byrd William Byrd (; 4 July 1623) was an English composer of late Renaissance music. Considered among the greatest composers of the Renaissance, he had a profound influence on composers both from his native England and those on the continent. He ...

(1540–1623), English composer *

William Byrd I William Byrd I (1652 – December 4, 1704) was an English-born Virginia colonist and politician. He came from Shadwell, London where his father John Bird (c. 1620–1677) was a goldsmith. His family's ancestral roots were in Cheshire. Personal li ...

(1652–1704), member of colonial Virginia's House of Burgesses *

William Byrd II William Byrd II (March 28, 1674August 26, 1744) was an American planter, lawyer, surveyor, author, and a man of letters. Born in Colonial Virginia, he was educated in London, where he practiced law. Upon his father's death, he returned to Virgi ...

(1674–1744), founder of Richmond, Virginia *

William Byrd III Colonel William Byrd III (September 6, 1728January 1 or January 2, 1777) was an American planter, politician and military officer who was a member of the House of Burgesses. Early life He was son of William Byrd II and Maria Taylor Byrd, and t ...

(1728–1777), member of the House of Burgesses, and military officer *

Winifred Byrd Winifred Byrd (May 24, 1884 in Salem, Oregon – April 3, 1970 in Los Angeles, California) was an American concert pianist and educator. __NOTOC__ Byrd attended Willamette University and graduated from New England Conservatory (NEC) in 190 ...

(1884–1970), American concert pianist

References

English-language surnames Surnames from nicknames {{Bird-surname

Origin and variants

Notable people with the surname

See also

References