This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Yard family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Yard Family History

Yard Surname Meaning

English (Somerset): topographic name for someone who lived ‘in the yard’ or from some minor placed named with Middle English yerde (from Old English geard ‘enclosure yard’ or Old English gerd gyrd ‘virgate thirty acres’).

A yardland (30 acres) was a medieval unit of land tenure.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Yard family from?

You can see how Yard families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Yard family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Yard families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 139 Yard families living in Somerset. This was about 37% of all the recorded Yard's in United Kingdom. Somerset had the highest population of Yard families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Yard surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Yard ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Yard. 37% of Yard men worked as a Builders Labourer and 79% of Yard women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Yard were Motor Driver and Private Means.

View Census Data for Yard | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Builders Labourer
    37%
  • Bricklayer
    28%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    19%
  • Motor Driver
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Unpaid Domestic Du
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Yard family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 18,000 census records available for the last name Yard. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Yard census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Yard

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Yard. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Yard immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 20,000 military records available for the last name Yard. For the veterans among your Yard ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Yard military records

You've only scratched the surface of Yard family history

Discover More

What is the average Yard lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Yard life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1968. The average life expectancy for Yard in 1948 was 51, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Yard

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Yard ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Yard family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial