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

Beards, 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 Beards surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beards in America

Beards is the 143149th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beards surname appeared 116 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Beards.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beards 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 Beards

The surname Beards is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "beard," referring to the facial hair, and was likely initially used as a nickname for someone with a distinctive beard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Berde." This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in certain parts of England.

During the 13th century, the surname began appearing in various forms, such as "Berd," "Berde," and "Beerd," reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. These variations can be traced back to various place names, such as Beardwood in Buckinghamshire and Beardwell in Gloucestershire.

Notably, in the 14th century, a prominent figure named William Beards (c. 1330-1395) served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire. His inclusion in historical records highlights the growing importance of the surname during this period.

In the 16th century, the spelling "Beards" became more standardized, and the name gained further recognition. One notable individual was John Beards (c. 1520-1583), a renowned English theologian and clergyman who served as the Bishop of Worcester.

Over the centuries, the Beards surname has been associated with various notable figures, including:

1. Sir John Beards (1573-1637), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1635.
2. William Beards (1745-1821), a British army officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
3. Mary Beards (1785-1867), a prominent English author and educationist known for her works on women's education.
4. James Beards (1813-1892), a Scottish-American industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Beards Manufacturing Company.
5. Robert Beards (1901-1988), a renowned British artist and sculptor known for his modernist works.

While the surname Beards has roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when it emerged as a nickname reflecting a distinctive physical characteristic.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beards

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

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 Beards 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 Beards 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 Beards was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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