Surname Bunyard - Meaning and Origin

Bunyard: What does the surname Bunyard mean?

The last name Bunyard originates from an old English place name. The term "bune" was derived from an earlier Anglo-Saxon term meaning "Springs or Streams". The addition of the word "yard" meant a secure or enclosed area, often associated with a fortress or estate.

Historically, Bunyard was associated with specific places and not with a particular family). Those who bore the Bunyard surname lived near the location of the original Bunyard. It was used as a general geographical identifier and was used to indicate a person's origin or their proximity to a particular area.

Today, the surname Bunyard is still found primarily in England, particularly in the London Boroughs. It is also found in the U.S. in small numbers, primarily in states that were established by English settlers during the colonial period.

In general, Bunyard is an old English surname that refers to a place near a spring or stream. It is a descriptive byname often given to someone who lived near a particular location. The Bunyard surname is still found in both England and the United States today.

Bunyard: Where does the name Bunyard come from?

The last name Bunyard is not incredibly common today; it ranks in the top 10,000 surnames in the United States, where it is predominantly found. It is especially common in the Northeastern states of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, as well as the Midwest states of Illinois and Ohio.

Outside of the United States, the last name Bunyard is especially common in the United Kingdom, particularly in the southern counties of Somerset and Wiltshire. It is also found in Scotland and Wales. The Netherlands and some parts of Germany and Sweden also have Bunyard households, though these instances are much rarer.

The Bunyard name likely originated from Old English and is derived from the words “bune”, meaning bean, and “geard”, meaning enclosure or yard. This would suggest that Bunyards were farmers who kept bean crops. Alternatively, the last name may have been derived from a place name, such as Bunyard in Dorset, England.

The Bunyard name has survived since the late middle ages and has been linked to several notable figures throughout history, including the poet Robert Bunyard from the 18th century, and the English gangsters Albert and George Bunyard from the early 20th century.

Variations of the surname Bunyard

The surname Bunyard is derived from a Middle English term for a "bean field". It is an Old English locational surname which appears in different forms and variations due to its various origins.

One of the main variants of this surname is Bunyard, which is sometimes spelled Bunyarde or Bunyardes. This variant is mostly found originating in England and is derived from the Old English term ‘baen’ meaning beans.

The variant Bunyard or Bunyarde/Bunyardes has also been found originating in Ireland. The Irish version of the name is derived from the term ‘Ban’ - a local word that was used to describe the area of land or field where beans were grown.

The more modern spelling of Bunyard is usually found to be Bunyard. This variant is mostly popular in the United States and was adopted when families who had earlier immigrated from other countries found it difficult to spell the original surnames due to language barriers.

Other variants of Bunyard include Banard, Bainard and Beauchard. These variants are generally found to be used in France and other French-speaking countries, where it is thought to have originated.

The combination of the three major variants of this surname, Bunyard, Banard and Beauchard, can even form a broader surname cluster, Bunard. This cluster is found mostly in Europe, especially in countries such as France, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Overall, there are various spellings, variants and surnames of the same origin for Bunyard, including Bunyard, Bunyarde, Banard and Beauchard.

Famous people with the name Bunyard

• Emma Bunyard: British international artistic gymnast
• Chris Bunyard: Retired race car driver
• Bethany Bunyard: American professional wrestler
• Graham Bunyard: New Zealand rugby player
• Sandra Bunyard: American artist and sculptor
• Marcia Bunyard: American entrepreneur
• Scott Bunyard: American actor
• John Bunyard: English cricketer
• Chris Bunyard: American mountain bike racer
• Anthony Bunyard: British actor and writer
• Andrew Bunyard: American artist and writer
• Paul Bunyard: British painter

Other surnames

Bunyan