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

Belgard, 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 Belgard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Belgard in America

Belgard is the 49914th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Belgard surname appeared 420 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 Belgard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Belgard 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 Belgard

The surname Belgard has its origins in Belgium, with the earliest known records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch words "belt" (meaning belt or girdle) and "garde" (meaning guard or keeper), suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who guarded or protected a specific area or location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a document from the city of Antwerp, dated 1195, which mentions a man named Willemus de Beltgarde. This spelling variation, "Beltgarde," provides insight into the name's evolution over time.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records across the Low Countries, including the Duchy of Brabant and the County of Flanders. In a manuscript from the Benedictine abbey of Affligem, dated 1237, a nobleman named Egidius van Belgard is mentioned as a benefactor of the monastery.

In the 14th century, the name Belgard began to spread beyond the borders of modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands. A knight named Sir Gilles de Belgard fought alongside the English forces during the Hundred Years' War and was recorded as participating in the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

By the 15th century, the name had made its way to Germany, where it was sometimes spelled as "Belgardt" or "Belgarth." One notable figure from this period was Johannes Belgard, a scholar and theologian who taught at the University of Heidelberg in the late 1400s.

As the centuries progressed, the Belgard name continued to be present across various regions of Europe. In the 16th century, a French nobleman named Pierre de Belgard served as a military commander during the Italian Wars and was known for his bravery on the battlefield.

Another prominent individual bearing this surname was Willem Belgard, a Dutch merchant and explorer who embarked on several voyages to the East Indies in the early 17th century. His detailed accounts of these expeditions and the lands he visited provided valuable insights into the cultures and trade routes of the time.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Belgard name appeared in various historical records across Europe, including court documents, parish registers, and military archives. Notable figures included Johann Belgard, a German composer and organist who lived in the late 18th century, and Marie-Louise Belgard, a French writer and activist who advocated for women's rights in the early 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Belgard

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

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

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

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