Origin
Hardy : 1: English French and Walloon: nickname for a brave or foolhardy man from Old French Middle English hardi ‘bold courageous’. The surname of Walloon origin is also found in the Flemish part of Belgium (mainly in Belgian Limburg). Compare Hard 2.2: Irish: in addition to being an importation of the English name this is also found as an Anglicized form (by partial translation) of Gaelic Mac Giolla Deacair ‘son of the hard lad’.3: Americanized form of Swiss German Härdi: from a pet form of an ancient Germanic personal name composed with hard ‘brave strong’.4: Polish: nickname from hardy ‘haughty proud’ (compare Gardy).
Bernard : English Scottish French Walloon Breton Dutch German Polish Czech Slovenian West Indian (mainly Haiti) and African (mainly Tanzania): from the personal name Bernard from an ancient Germanic name composed of the elements ber(n) ‘bear’ + hard ‘brave hardy strong’ (see Bernhard). It was borne by several Christian saints including Saint Bernard of Menthon (923–1008) founder of Alpine hospices and patron saint of mountaineers whose cult accounts for the frequency of the name in Alpine regions. The popularity of the personal name was also greatly increased by virtue of its having been borne by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (c. 1090–1153) founder and abbot of the Cistercian monastery at Clairvaux. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates from other languages e.g. Italian Bernardo. Bernard is the second most frequent surname in France. Compare Barnard Benore and Burnor.
Bernhard : German Dutch Danish Swedish Norwegian and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the ancient Germanic personal name Bernhard composed of the elements ber(n) ‘bear’ + hard ‘brave hardy strong’. As a Jewish name this is an adoption of the German name because it has the same beginning as the Jewish name Ber. The surname of German origin is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine). See also Bernard compare Barnard Barnhard Barnhart and Bernhardt.
Billard : 1: French: from a short form of the personal name Robillard a derivative of Robert.2: French: from the Old French personal name Bilard from ancient Germanic Bilihard composed of the elements bil ‘sword’ + hard ‘brave hardy strong’. Compare 5 below.3: Altered form of French Biard.4: English (of Norman origin): in most instances this is a variant of Billyeald or Billyard from an Old French form of the ancient Germanic female personal name Bilihildis (from bil- ‘sword’ + hild ‘battle’). In Britain this surname appears to have its medieval origins in a single family with property in East Markham in Nottinghamshire. It is still to be found in this county but has also migrated to neighbouring counties and as far south as London and Kent.5: English (of Norman origin): from a Middle English personal name Billard representing either Old French Bilard (see 2 above) or its Old English cognate Bilheard.
Boehle : 1: German (Böhle): patronymic from a pet form of a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements bald ‘bold hardy strong’ + win ‘friend’ (see Baldwin).2: North German (Böhle): variant of Bohle 1.3: North German (Böhle): topographic or occupational name for someone living near or working on a board walk or plank road from Middle Low German bōle ‘plank beam’. Compare Bohle.
Boehlke : 1: North German (Böhlke): from the personal name Boleke a pet form of a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements bald ‘bold hardy strong’ + win ‘friend’. Compare Baldwin.2: North German (Böhlke): derivative of Bohle 1.3: Germanized form (Böhlke) of Sorbian Bělka B'elka (see Belka 3) and Polish Belka 1 and probably also of some other similar (and cognate) Slavic surname. Compare Bohlke.
Chorlton : from Chorlton on Medlock or Chorlton cum Hardy (both Lancs) Chorlton by Backford or Chorlton near Nantwich (both Cheshire) or Chapel Chorlton (Staffs). There may have been some confusion with Charlton.
Eberhardt : German: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements eber ‘wild boar’ (Old High German Old Saxon ebur) + hard ‘brave hardy strong’. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine).
Ehlert : North German: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements agil ‘point edge (of a sword)’ + hard ‘brave hardy strong’ or ward ‘guard’. Compare Elert and Ellert.
Ehrhardt : German: from an ancient Germanic personal name composed of Old High German ēra ‘honor’ + hard ‘brave hardy strong’. The name was popularized by the cult of an 8th-century Christian saint of this name bishop of Regensburg; hence the present high frequency of the surname in Bavaria.
Eilert : North German and Dutch: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements agil ‘point edge (of a sword)’ + hard ‘brave hardy strong’. As a Dutch name this is also a habitational name from a farm name after transmission of the surname Eilert into the farm name.
Engelhardt : German: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements engel (see Engel) + hard ‘brave hardy strong’.
Gardy : 1: American shortened form of Polish Gardychowski: unexplained. The surname Gardychowski is very rare in Poland found almost exclusively in Łask central Poland.2: Polish: nickname from Old Polish gardy ‘haughty proud’ (in modern Polish hardy compare Hardy).3: Jewish (from Poland): occupational name for a weaver from Hebrew gardi.4: Altered form of Scottish Gordy.
Lardie : 1: Altered form of French L'Hardy (see Lardy 1).2: In some cases possibly also French: variant of Lardy 2. The surname Lardie is very rare in France.
Lardy : 1: Altered form of French L'Hardy: variant with definite article l' of Hardy a nickname for a brave or foolhardy man. Compare Lardie 1.2: French: habitational name from a place called Lardy in Dordogne and Essonne.3: German: probably of French origin (see above).
Sneller : 1: English: nickname from Middle English snel(l) ‘swift vivacious bold’ (compare Snell) + the suffix -ard.2: Dutch: from the personal name Snellard from ancient Germanic Snelhard composed of the elements snel ‘courageous agile speedy swift’ + hard ‘brave hardy strong’. Possibly also a nickname for a brisk or active person a cognate of 1 above.3: Americanized form of German Schneller.
Starley : English (Sussex): possibly a nickname from an unrecorded Middle English adjective stereli derived from stere ‘strong hardy powerful steadfast’ like sickly from sick. Alternatively it may be a habitational name perhaps from Startley in Great Somerford (Wiltshire).
Styth : from Middle English stith(e) ‘stiff strong hardy sturdy; inflexible stubborn’ (Old English stīð).
Wichert : German: from a personal name composed of the elements wīg ‘battle war’ + hard ‘brave hardy strong’.
Wolfert : German: from the ancient Germanic personal name Wolfhart composed of the elements wolf ‘wolf’ + hard ‘brave hardy strong’.
More
Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
FANBI : The Oxford Dictionary if Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ©2016, University of the West of England
FANBI : The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, ©2021, University of the West of England
Subject to the Terms and Conditions of Ancestry
