Surname Pickard - Meaning and Origin
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Discoveries and Surprises from My iGENEA DNA Test: A Pickard's Tale
Never did I anticipate embarking on such a riveting journey of tracing my lineage, much less learning the incredibly diverse origins of my seemingly simple surname, Pickard, through a simple iGENEA DNA test.
C. Pickard
read morePickard: What does the surname Pickard mean?
The last name Pickard is of English origin. It is a topographic name, derived from the Anglo-Saxon terms "pic" meaning 'peak," and "weard," meaning 'guardian.' The name referred to a "guardian of a hill," such as the gatekeeper of a castle. This surname was likely to have been used to describe someone who lived near a castle or a prominent hill.
The Pickard surname is also an occupational name, derived from the Old English words "pic" meaning 'pointed instrument or tool' and "weard" meaning 'guardian.' This indicates that its original meaning referred to a guardian of tools, or perhaps a toolmaker.
Today, the surname Pickard is carried by families living all over the world in numerous countries. It is a distinct and recognizable surname, and is believed to be one of the oldest family names in England. The Pickards have been prominent members of society since the 13th century. Some notable members of the Pickard family have included prominent academics, athletes, military personnel, and politicians.
The Pickard surname is an unmistakable name that signifies history, tradition, and success. It is a timeless name with a rich history that will continue to be a part of the family, for generations to come.
Order DNA origin analysisPickard: Where does the name Pickard come from?
The last name Pickard is quite common in the English-speaking world, particularly in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
In the United Kingdom, the compiled surname statistics published by the UK Office of National Statistics show that as of 2017, the surname Pickard was ranked in the top 4,000 surnames in the country, with an estimated 8,248 people having the last name Pickard. In Scotland, the Pickard name can be found mainly in central part of the country such as Lanarkshire, Fife, and Renfrewshire.
In the United States, the Pickard surname ranks as the 8,189th most common one of the 120,000 family names in the country, with an estimated population of 32,239 people having this last name. Their prevalence is mainly in southern and some coastal states such as Texas, Florida, California, North Carolina, and Illinois.
In Canada, the Pickard name is the 1,614th most common last name in the country, with an estimated 2,606 people holding it. Their presence is more prominent in the province of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and British Columbia.
Meanwhile, in the land down under, Australia, the Pickard last name is reported to be the 1,932nd most common family name of the 2.75 million names available in the country. It is mainly stemming from Victoria, Queensland, and South Wales.
Finally, in New Zealand, the Pickard name is quite rare, coming in at the 6,774th most common surname in the country with an estimated population of 435 people. It is mainly concentrated in Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury regions.
Variations of the surname Pickard
The surname Pickard is believed to have derived from the German personal name Piccard, which ultimately may stem from the Germanic elements "pic" meaning point or pickaxe and "hard" meaning hard and solid. There are several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, including Pickard, Piggard, Piccard, Pinder, Piccardi, Pigot, Pacard, and Packard.
Pickard is an early English name which dates back to the 14th century. It is first found in Yorkshire where the family was seated from very early times and left its mark on the history of that shire. The variant Piggard is an old northern form of Piccard and may have been derived from a nickname meaning "the chubby one" and such form of the surname is still quite popular in Northern England.
Pinder or Panton was originally used in North East England. It is derived from a nickname and related to the medieval personal name Pant, derived from the Old French word paunt meaning "the rasher" or "one who makes haste". Meanwhile, the spelling Piccardi is derived from the dialect word pikker, and is found mainly in the Netherlands and Belgium.
The popular surname Pigot has been identified as having the same parent root as Pickard, coming from the pre 7th Century personal name Piccot or Piccard, a diminutive of the German word ”pic”, meaning a point or pickaxe. The variant Packard is an Anglo-Saxon name which is derived from the personal name, Packa, itself coming from the Old English word pack, meaning valorous. Lastly, Pacard is a French topographic name for someone who lived on the edge of a wood, derived from the Old French word ”pas”, meaning a path.
Famous people with the name Pickard
- Brayden Pickard: professional ice hockey player who plays as a center for the Binghamton Devils in the American Hockey League.
- Barbara Pickard: an American author and ghostwriter from Texas. Her books include “Breakfast in Bedlam” and “The Domino Effect”.
- Jean Pickard: a British actress famous for her roles in The Avengers (1961) and The Saint (1964).
- Ann Pickard: the Executive Vice President, Shell Australia, leading a staff of 700 people working in exploration, production and downstream.
- Jesse Lee Pickard: American country music singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the group The Steeldrivers.
- Vincent Pickard: an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Isthmian League Premier Division club Cray Wanderers.
- Shelldon Pickard: an American actor, best known for his roles in the films Lone Wolf McQuade (1983) and Rage and Honor (1992).
- Major General Gilbert H. Pickard: the first commandant of the Army General Signals Corps, appointed in 1925.
- Pastor Larry Pickard: senior pastor of New Beginnings Baptist Church in Lufkin, Texas.
- Laura Pickard: English folk musician best known for her work with the group Voice.