This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Bernard,' or 'Barnard'; compare Barnard and Barnett. Burnard is found without surname attached in the Hundred Rolls.

Custance Burnard, Cambridgeshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Richard Burnard, Oxfordshire, ibid.

Robert Burnard, Bedfordshire, ibid.

1546. Andrew Burnet, Jesus Coll.: Register of the University of Oxford.

1729. Married — Lewis Burnett and Jane Daniel: St. George's Chapel, Mayfair.

1789. — Joseph Sparkhall and Ann Burnard: St. George, Hanover Square.

A variant of Hey.

John de Bourneghe, Somerset, 1 Edward: Kirby's Quest.

1738. Baptised — Thomas, s. Thomas Burny: St. Dionis Backchurch.

A form of Bernard, which see. John Burnart witnessed a charter by William, lord of Douglas, 1306—29 (RHM., I, p. 13).

A variant of Burnard from the Old English personal name Beornheard. About the year 1200 Roger Burnard made two grants to the monks of Melrose from his lands of Faringdun, one of them being witnessed by his four sons, Gaufrid, Ralph, Walter, and Richard (Metros, p. 75, 76). About the same date Gaufridus Burnald is named, and a little later Ralph, designed son and heir of Roger Burnett, witnessed a charter by Stephen de Blar to the monks of Cupar, and between 1208—32 as Radulph Burnard, son and heir of Roger Burnard, he granted the bishop of Glasgow and his successors fuel for their house of Alnecrumbe (now Ancrum) (REG., p. 99,100). About 1250 Patrick Burnard held lands near Gordon, Berwickshire (Kelso, p. 90), and in 1264 Henry Burnet is called 'serviens' of the Justiciary (ER., I, p. 4). William de Farningdon of Roxburgh, probably one of the family, rendered homage, 1296. His seal bears a cross of four pine branches, a cone in dexter base point. S' Will'i d' Franingdv (Bain, II, p. 199,532). Alexander Burnard or Burnett went north in the train of Robert I and received charters of lands in the forest of Drum and the barony of Tulliboyll in the sheriffdom of Kincardine (RMS., I, App. II, 429,433). The Burnets of Barns, who gave name to Burnetland in the parish of Broughton, claimed descent from Robertus de Burneville, time of David I, "but this claim," says Stodart, "hardly seems proved" (II, p. 292). Burnaitt 1578, Burnarde 1369, Burnat 1458, Burnate 1527.

= Bernard, q.v.

Robert Burnard.—Hundred Rolls

A corruption of Bernard.

Probably a corruption of Bernard; or it may be, by a transposition of letters not uncommon, the French brunet, brownish, tawny, and so a diminutive of Browne. 2. A parish in Somersetshire.

A little brook. The family is of Saxon origin, but the Scottish branch have been seated for more than five centuries in the north of Scotland, and are descended from Robert Burnard, 1128. They bear a hunting horn in their arms, indicative of their office of king's foresters in the north.

In 1086 Burnard (the Christian name omitted) held lands in Bedford from William, Count of Eu. This family long remained of importance. Roger Burnard (13th cent.) held four knights’ fees in Bedford (Testa de Neville).

The Burnards were a Blisland family in the reign of Elizabeth, when they owned the 300 acres comprised in the moor called Hawkestor and Druglett; there are still yeomen of the name in Blisland (M.).