Quote Originally Posted by Rob View Post
The town name of Chard in Somerset (SW England) isn't quite as 'English' (i.e. Anglo-Saxon) as one might suspect. In 1065AD it was recorded as 'Cerdren', which is thought to be derived from the Brythonic Celtic word 'cerdin', meaning rowans or mountain ash.

The element 'chard' also crops up in Devon (SW England) in the town/village names 'Morchard Bishop' and 'Cruwys Morchard', where the 'morchard' part is definitely the Brythonic 'mor + ced', meaning large wood.

I hope this helps with the possible interpretation of the surname Chard.
I concur. Being so close to Cornwall gives credence to a Brythonic Celtic (probably really a Cornish name, by that point in time) origin.