Genealogical collections concerning the sir-name of Baird, and the families of Auchmedden, Newbyth, and Sauchton Hall in particular

GENEALOGICAL COLLECTIONS
CONCERNING THE
SIRNAME OF BAIRD.
|HE Sirname of Baird is originally of the South of France, 1 where
there were several Families of it in the reign of Louis IV., and it
is said are still, but the first of the name mentioned in Britain
came from Normandy to England with William the Conqueror.
And, from the time when it first appears in Scotland, there is
reason to believe that some of that name came here with King
William the Lyon, when he returned from his captivity in England, anno 1174,
as it is agreed by all our historians, several English gentlemen did. For it is
certain that in less than sixty years after that period, they possessed fine estates,
and had made p-ood alliances in the South and South- West counties of Scotland.
And although, in times so remote, and in which most other families, as well
as those of that name, have suffered eclipses, or removal from one part of the
kingdom to another, whereby their old -writings have been frequently lost, it may
be now impossible to make out a regular genealogy of any one of them, yet the
following extracts, from authors of unquestionable credit, will show that the name
was both ancient and honourable in Scotland, as well as in France and England.
1 The Rev. L. Shaw, the historian of Moray, says (2nd Edit. p. 291), " I need scarce observe
that throughout the kingdom many places have then- names, and some persons their sirnames,
from the Druids, Bards, Cams, &c, as Baird, Carnie, Monibhard, Tullibardin, Carnwath, Carn-
cross, &c." — Ed.