Why I Created the Beard Family Tree Website | Preserving the Beard Family Heritage
While waiting in line at Hagerstown’s Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home on March 31, 2025 — surrounded by familiar faces
Ryan Miner
May 24, 2025
Preserving the Legacy of the Beard Family
Beginning in the early 1500s in Germany, the Beard family journey stretches across centuries and oceans — from the Rhineland to today's Beard-family descendants who settled in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
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How To Use This Website
Your guide to exploring five centuries of Beard family history
Welcome to the Beard Family Tree! Our website contains Beard family stories, photographs, and historical records spanning from 16th century Germany to present-day America. Here's how to navigate through generations of Beard family heritage.
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Start with the Timeline
Browse the "Beard Family Milestones" section below to see our journey through the centuries. Each era contains different generations and their stories.
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Click Family Names
Click on any family name box or card to visit their dedicated family page. Each page contains detailed biographies, photos, and family connections.
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Explore Connections
Each family page shows relationships to parents, children, and siblings. Follow the connections to discover how all the Beard families are related.
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Read the Stories
Every family member has their own story. Click on individual cards within family pages to read detailed biographies and historical context.
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Stay Updated
Get notified when we discover new family documents, photos, and stories!
New discoveries happen regularly!
Example: Click on a family name like this:
Allen John Beard Family
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To see their complete family page with all children, stories, and photos
What You'll Find on Each Family Page
Family portraits • Individual biographies • Historical context • Birth and death records • Cemetery locations • Military service • Career information • Family connections • And much more!
Ready to Begin Your Journey?
Start exploring the Beard family legacy below. We recommend beginning with the 20th century families if you're looking for living relatives, or the 16th century if you want to trace our origins in Germany.
Start Exploring Below ↓Beard Family Milestones
A generational journey — from Germany's Rhineland to Maryland and Pennsylvania's valleys and beyond.
16th Century
1525
Early Reformation / Holy Roman Empire
Johan Wilhem Barth (1525–1576)
Barth Patriarch in Timmel
Born in Timmel, Lower Saxony, Johan Wilhem Barth is the earliest known ancestor in the Beard lineage. He lived during the Protestant Reformation and passed away in 1576, leaving a legacy that would span centuries.
1548
Late Renaissance Germany
Hanß Philips Barth (1548–1620)
A Father Through Faith and Change
Born in Rhineland-Palatinate, Hanß Philips Barth married Margaretha Braunen and raised his family during a time of religious upheaval and cultural shift. He died in 1620 in his home region.
17th Century
1574
Post-Reformation / Early Modern Period
Johann Wendell Barth (1574–1625)
Life in Rhodt unter Rietburg
Johann Wendell Barth was born in Rhodt unter Rietburg, married Ottilia Hermann, and was buried in the heart of the German Palatinate after his death in 1625.
1574
Thirty Years' War Era
Georg Barth (1614–?)
A Father Amidst Conflict
Born in 1614 during one of Europe's most destructive wars, Georg Barth fathered Nichlaus Bard, who would later pass the family name into early modern records.
1678
Late Holy Roman Empire / Early Modern Germany
Nichlaus Beard (Bard) (1678–1721)
Patriarch in Nieder-Saulheim
Born in 1678 in Niedersaulheim, Germany, Nichlaus "Nicklaus" Bard represents the earliest documented ancestor of the Beard family in our lineage. He died in his homeland of Germany in 1721.
18th Century
1719
Colonial America (Pre-Revolutionary Era)
John P. Beard (1719–1763)
Immigration to America
John P. Beard, son of Nichlaus, was born in Germany and later emigrated to the American colonies, eventually settling in Frederick County, Maryland. He is the patriarch of the American Beard line.
1758
Revolutionary War Era
Frederick Beard Sr. (1758–1842)
Revolutionary War Veteran & Town Founder
Frederick Beard Sr., born in Frederick County, Maryland, served in the Revolutionary War in the Maryland Flying Camp and fought at White Plains. After the war, he helped found Emmitsburg and raised 12 children. He died in Adams County, PA, and is buried in Emmitsburg, MD.
19th Century
1807
Early American Republic / Jacksonian Era
David Beard (1807–1838)
A Tragic Accident on the Rails
David Beard was born in Adams County, Pennsylvania, and died in a tragic railroad explosion near Gettysburg at just 30 years old. He left behind four children, including John Henry Beard Sr.
1837
Antebellum Era / Pre–Civil War
John Henry Beard Sr. (1837–1917)
Civil War Era Maryland
Born in Frederick County, Maryland, John Sr. lived through the Civil War era, fathered 12 children, and was laid to rest in Franklin County, PA.
1862
Post–Civil War / Gilded Age
John Henry Beard Jr. (1862–1918)
Industrial Labor & Family Growth
The eldest son of John Sr., he raised 12 children while working through the post-Civil War industrial boom. He is buried in Hagerstown, MD.
The Evolution of the Beard Surname
From Barth to Bard to Beard — a surname shaped by history, migration, and adaptation.
1525–1700s · Germany (East Frisia, Rhineland-Palatinate)
BARTH
German Origin · Middle High German bart ("beard")
Our surname begins as Barth, a German name commonly found in Lower Saxony and the Palatinate. Derived from the word bart, meaning "beard," it likely began as a nickname for a bearded man. It was passed down through generations from Johan Wilhem Barth (1525) to Georg Barth (1614) before migrating westward toward America.
1600s–1700s · Palatine Germany / Migration Period
BARD
Phonetic Variation · English/French Influence
As the family moved across regions and began preparing for emigration, the spelling shifted to Bard. This may have been a phonetic adaptation by local clerks or a simplification for port records. The name Bard also existed independently in Norman and Scottish traditions, derived from the Old French barde or Germanic barta, meaning "battle axe."
1700s–Present · Colonial Maryland and America
BEARD
Anglicized in America · Old English beard
In America, especially in Maryland and Pennsylvania, the surname stabilized as Beard. Likely recorded this way by English-speaking officials unfamiliar with the Germanic origins, it aligned with an existing English surname meaning "a bearded man." From John P. Beard onward, the name became fixed in American records and endures to this day.
| Generation | Surname | Region | Linguistic Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johan Wilhem Barth (1525) | Barth | Timmel, Lower Saxony | Germanic root for "beard" |
| Nichlaus Bard (1678) | Bard | Nieder-Saulheim, Hesse | Phonetic variant from Barth |
| John P. Beard (1719) | Beard | Frederick County, Maryland | Final Anglicized form |
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