Surname Hord - Meaning and Origin
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Hord: What does the surname Hord mean?
The last name Hord is of Anglo-Saxon origin and may have been derived from the Old English word "hord," which means "treasure." This name likely referred to someone who was highly esteemed and held in high regard. Initially, Hord likely referred to an individual who either held an important position in the medieval feudal system or associated with a family of wealth and importance.
The name Hord may have also been derived from a topographical feature such as a hill. During the medieval era, surnames were used to identify those who lived on specific areas of land. Families who lived on a hill or at the base of a hill may have taken the name Hord to signify their origin.
Today, Hord is still found in several parts of England and Scotland, as well as in some parts of the United States. It is a relatively uncommon surname today, but in the past it was a name revered by those of nobility or great wealth. Historically the Hord name held values of importance, leadership, respect, and dignity, so it is likely that those who bear the name today have similar values.
Order DNA origin analysisHord: Where does the name Hord come from?
The last name Hord is most commonly found in the United States and United Kingdom today.
In America, people with the surname can be found in many states, including Ohio, Pennsylvania, California, Texas, and New York. In Ohio, the Hord surname is especially common; the 2010 US census data showed that there were 3,677 people with the last name in the state. In Ohio's Cuyahoga County, 884 people had the surname.
In the UK, the Hord surname is particularly associated with the Yorkshire region. The 1881 UK census showed that there were 191 people with the surname living in Yorkshire. Today, Hords can still be found in the county, with 57 people reported to have the name in the 2011 census.
The origins of the last name can be traced back to pre-Conquest England, where it was derived from the Anglo-Saxon words hord and hyrde, which refer to a bird keeper or one who raises birds. Thus, the surname was likely first used to refer to those who kept or owned wild birds.
Variations of the surname Hord
The surname Hord is commonly seen spelled with variant forms, spellings, and other surnames of the same origin. Some of these include Horden, Hoard, Horde, Hoerd, Hird, and Hurden.
Horden is an anglicized version of the surname, often seen in records of those who settled in countries with English as a primary language. The origin of this surname is in Old English, deriving from Middle English 'horden', meaning 'hoarder', from the word 'hord' meaning 'storehouse, granary'.
The variant form Horde is derived from Middle English 'horde', which referred to a group of people. It likely became adapted to a surname as some of the original members of a family grew to become a large group that carried the name.
Hoerd can be defined as an anglicized spelling of the German surname Herd, believed to have been originated from Old High German 'herd', which meant 'keeper of a herd'.
Hird is a Scandinavian spelling of the surname, derived from either Old Norse 'hird', which referred to a bodyguard, or Old Norse 'hirð', which referred to a retainer. The two words were related to the notion of 'guardianship' of a group or person.
Lastly, Hurden is an anglicized version of the surname, which is thought to have developed from the Old English 'hyrd', which referred to a herdsman or someone who took care of a herd. People who owned livestock were often referred to as 'hird' or 'hurden' in order to identify them.
Famous people with the name Hord
- Allen Milan Hord: American athlete, an All-American football player at the University of Tennessee who was picked first in the 1958 NFL Draft
- Anthony Hord: NFL running back who played for the Minnesota Vikings
- Francis Hord: British architect, who served as Surveyor of the Fabric of St. Paul's Cathedral in London from 1774 to 1785
- Ronald Hord: US Air Force Major General from 1958–1962
- Stephen Hord: American painter and illustrator, known for his large landscapes of landscapes in oil and tempera
- Antoinette Hord Richards: American painter and teacher based in New Bedford, Massachusetts
- John Hord: American doctor, one of the first African Americans to become a surgeon in the United States
- Gil Hord: Canadian archivist, historian and museum professional who served as the National Archivist of Canada from 1971 to 1975
- Richard James Hord: American lawyer and jurist who served as Secretary of the Interior in the administration of President Franklin Pierce
- Coleman Taylor Hord: American physician, noted for his participation in the laboratory work of Dr. D. K. P. Sundaralingam in the diagnosis of leprosy and its treatment with insulin