Ballard surname meaning

Ballard has two closely documented historical routes. In English it comes from Middle English ballard, “bald-headed man,” a descriptive nickname. In French records it can derive from the Germanic personal name Balhard, built from elements associated with strength and hardness. Those routes are not one literal translation, but both belong to the nickname or personal-name tradition rather than a place or trade. Ballart and Ballert are related record forms, while Bullard may be only a sound-alike in some families. Nickname is the catalog lead, with high confidence in the surname’s descriptive or personal-name character.