This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Pichard' or 'Picard'; compare Richard and Ricard. The commonest form was Pichard, and of this Pitcher is doubtless an imitative corruption. Very common in Yorkshire records.

Roger fil. Pichard: Pipe Roll, 11 Henry II.

Alan Pichard, Yorkshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Stephen Picard, Northumberland, ibid.

Nicholas Pichard, Salop, ibid.

Roger Pichard, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Alan Piccard, Lincolnshire, 20 Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

Emma Picard, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Ricardus Picard, 1379: ibid.

1524. Anthony Sylver and Margaret Pykkarde: Marriage Lic. (London).

1784. Married — Richard Pickard and Elizabeth Reason: St. George, Hanover Square.

This surname probably refers to the province of France from which the early bearers of the name came to Scotland. Hugh Picard was a canon of Moray in 1266 (Kelso, 345), and Stephen Pykard, a knight of Gilbert de Umfraville, earl of Angus, is in record in 1279 (Bain, II, p. 45). John Pikard was juror on an inquest held at St. Andrews in 1302—3 (ibid., II, 1350), and Adam le Pycard was a Scottish prisoner of war from Stirling confined in Restormel Castle in 1305 (ibid., p. 449,451). Sir Patrick Picarde was rector of Torry in 1350 (Cambus., 56), David Piccart was on an inquest at Inverness in 1430 (RMS., II, 179), and also witnessed a charter by Hugh Fraser of Lovat in 1436 (Athole, p. 707.)

(French) 1 Picardian i.e. one from Picardy, French Picardie, a province-name of doubtful origin, but almost certainly from French pique (pic), a pike (v. Pick1), with the diminutive suff. -ard.

The Société des Antiquaires de Picardy, it appears, considers that Picard denoted a pike-man; and it is surmised that Picardie was famous tor this class of soldier.

2 = Pic(q (v. Pick) + the diminutive suff. -ard [Teutonic hard, hard, brave] Stephen Picard.—Hund. Rolls, A.D. 1274.

Ricardus Picard.—Yorks Poll-Tax, A.D. 1379.

Cp. Pichard.

(French) One who came from Picardy (pike men), in France.

This name, which, like Le Gascon, L’Angevin, Le Poitevin, and others, plainly denotes the nationality of the bearer, occurs half a dozen times in the Norman Exchequer Rolls of 1180-95. There is a Robert Pichard of about the same date to be found in the Rotuli Curiæ Regis, and the family is said to have been settled in Herefordshire during the preceding century. “That part of Ocle called Ocle Pichard derived its additional name from a family holding it soon after the Norman Conquest. Roger Pichard is mentioned in the Book of Fees made in the reign of Henry III. as holding of the honour of Webbeley; and in 1232 was a pledge for the fidelity of Walter de Laci, until the kingdom should be settled in peace.” - Duncumb's Herefordshire. Miles Picard was uninterruptedly Sheriff of the county from 1300 to 1306, and twice served as knight of the shire. It was he who, according to Nash, gave its name to Sapy-Pychard in Worcestershire, which he held of Stuteville. Roger Picard, probably his son, was Sheriff in 1318 and 1327, and must have been the last of the name at Ocle Pychard, where Peter de Clavenhogh (Clanowe), who succeeded him, had a grant of free warren in 1334. Another Picard served as Sheriff in 1348 and 1349; and in 1356 Sir Henry Picard, Vintner and Lord Mayor of London, gave a great banquet in honour of the battle of Poitiers, at which both the Black Prince and his Royal captive were present. At a second and still more august entertainment, of even greater splendour, he feasted four crowned heads - his own Sovereign, and the Kings of France, Scotland, and Cyprus, with a great assemblage of the nobles of the realm. “And after,” says Stowe, “the said Henry Picard kept his hall against all comers whosoever that were willing to play at dice and hazard. In like manner, the Lady Margaret his wife did also keep her chamber to the same effect.” It seems that “the King of Cyprus, playing with Sir Henry Picard in his hall, did win of him fifty marks; but Picard, being very skilful in that art, did after win of the same King the same fifty marks, and fifty marks more; which when the same King began to take in ill part (although he dissembled the same) Sir Henry said unto him, “My Lord and King, be not aggrieved; I court not your gold, but your play; for I have not bid you hither that you might grieve;”and giving him his money again, plentifully bestowed of his own amongst the retinue. Besides he gave many rich gifts to the King, and other nobles and knights which dined with him, to the great glory of the citizens of London in those days.” The Picards gave their name ton Picard’s Manor, near Guildford, where they were living at this time. - Manning and Bray's Surrey.

The name, however, continued in Herefordshire. “John Pichard was vicar of Ocle Pichard in 1446; the name also of John Pichard was returned amongst the gentry of this county 12 Hen. VI., and a branch of this family resided during several generations in the parish of Cradley; they bore arms Gules, a fesse Or, between three escallops Argent." - Duncumb. In Suffolk the Pykards were tenants of the Earls of Oxford. “Gilbert, son of Walter Pykard, 31 Hen. II., was in the custody of Gilbert de Vere, by grant from the Crown, of whom they held in chief Great Wratting, and was of the age of twenty years. Walter Pykard of Wratting, 14 Ed. I., held one hundred acres of land of the King, by the serjeantry of finding for him one footman, with a bow and four arrows, as often as he went into Wales with his army.” - Page's Suffolk.

A native of Picardy. Pikard, Pikart. H.R. One of this name changed it, at the command of Edw. IV., to Ruddle, the place of his birth. Camden.

Ralph, Engeram, Richard, Peter, Geoffry, Walter Picard, Normandy 1180-95 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae); Robert Richard, Engl. c. 1198 (Rotuli Curiae Regis); John Pikart, c. 1272 (Rotuli Hundredorum).

From the French, Picard; from the Dutch, Piekart; a personal name.

A Norman name: Picardy; a local name

Picard: from Picardy.

Camden says that Edward IV. commanded a member of the Pickard family to change his name to Ruddle after his birthplace. Strange to relate, both these names are either confined to or are most characteristic of this county, though I can find no place called Ruddle in Wilts. Probably Rudhall, the name of places in Herefordshire and Staffordshire, was the name of the birthplace of this person. The Pickards are said to hail originally from Picardy. Trowbridge is their present home in Wilts.