Find out how popular the last name Birchard is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Birchard.
A bird-catcher or hawker, from the Middle English "bird" and French "chasser".
Birchard, 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 Birchard surname is from the 2010 census data.
Birchard is the 40371st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Birchard surname appeared 542 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 Birchard.
We can also compare 2010 data for Birchard 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.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 40371 | 33020 | 20.03% |
Count | 542 | 654 | -18.73% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.18 | 0.24 | -28.57% |
The surname Birchard is believed to have originated in England, likely in the late medieval period or earlier. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "byrig" (meaning a fortified town or borough) and "hierde" (a herdsman or keeper of livestock). The name may have initially referred to someone who lived in or near a fortified settlement and worked as a herdsman or caretaker of animals within the surrounding lands.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Birchard can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, including "Biricheard" and "Bircheard," suggesting its long-standing presence in the region.
During the 13th century, the name Birchard was associated with several individuals who held positions of significance. For instance, Robert Birchard (c. 1210-1279) was a prominent landowner and nobleman in Oxfordshire. Another notable figure was William Birchard (c. 1245-1312), who served as a trusted advisor to King Edward I and played a role in the Scottish Wars of Independence.
As the name spread across England, it underwent various spelling variations, reflecting regional dialects and scribal interpretations. Some examples of these variations include Burchard, Burcharde, and Birchart. Certain place names, such as Birchard's Farm in Gloucestershire, may have also contributed to the development of the surname.
In the 16th century, the Birchard family gained prominence in the county of Somerset, where they established themselves as landed gentry. One notable member was Sir John Birchard (1538-1612), who served as a Member of Parliament and held influential positions within the local community.
Another prominent figure bearing the Birchard surname was Thomas Birchard (1705-1779), a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the Seven Years' War and rose to the rank of Admiral in the Royal Navy.
As the centuries passed, the Birchard name continued to be represented across various fields, including politics, military, and academia. Robert Birchard (1762-1835) was a renowned mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics. Meanwhile, William Birchard (1810-1892) was a respected lawyer and judge in the United States, serving as a justice on the Ohio Supreme Court.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Birchard.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Birchard was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 94.28% | 511 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 2.03% | 11 |
Hispanic Origin | 1.66% | 9 |
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 Birchard has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 94.28% | 97.25% | -3.10% |
Black | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Two or More Races | 2.03% | 1.38% | 38.12% |
Hispanic | 1.66% | 0.76% | 74.38% |
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 Birchard was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Birchard, please contact us.
We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.
If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!
<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/birchard-surname-popularity/">Birchard last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Birchard last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 5, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/birchard-surname-popularity/.
"Birchard last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/birchard-surname-popularity/. Accessed 5 July, 2025
Birchard last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/birchard-surname-popularity/.
Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.
Simple as that.