Find out how popular the last name Ard is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ard.

Ard, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Ard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ard in America

Ard is the 5141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ard surname appeared 6,807 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Ard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ard to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Ard

The surname "Ard" is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the region of Brittany. It is derived from the French word "ard," which means "high" or "elevated." The earliest known records of the surname date back to the 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Raoul Ard, a nobleman who lived in the village of Ard near the town of Guingamp in Brittany during the late 12th century. The name is also found in the Domesday Book, a medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, where it is recorded as "Ard" and "Ardus."

In the 13th century, the surname "Ard" appeared in various records across Brittany, including the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Redon, a collection of charters and deeds from the Abbey of Redon. One notable individual from this time was Geoffroy Ard, a knight who fought in the Breton War of Succession in the 1340s.

During the 15th century, the surname "Ard" spread to other regions of France, including Normandy and the Île-de-France. One notable figure from this period was Jacques Ard, a merchant from Rouen who was involved in the trade of textiles and spices.

In the 17th century, the surname "Ard" began to appear in English records, likely due to French immigrants settling in England. One such individual was Jean Ard, a Huguenot refugee who fled religious persecution in France and settled in London in the 1680s.

Other notable bearers of the surname include:

1. Marie-Élisabeth Ard (1737-1811), a French artist known for her portraits and still-life paintings.
2. William Ard (1810-1892), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Delaware.
3. Henry Ard (1867-1940), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London.
4. Robert Ard (1917-1995), a French writer and journalist who covered the French Resistance during World War II.
5. Susan Ard (born 1949), an American actress and singer best known for her role in the Broadway musical "The Wiz."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ard

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ard.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ard was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Ard has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Ard was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ard, please contact us.

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