Acord

1. German: Americanized spelling of Eckhardt.

2. French: variant of Achard, which is from an Old French personal name, Achart, a derivative of an ancient Germanic personal name composed of the elements agi(n) ‘edge (of a sword)’ + hard ‘bold’, ‘hardy’. Compare English Ackert and Italian Accardi, which are from the same Germanic source.

FOREBEARS: The name Andreas Lowrence Acord appears on an 18th-century ship's master's list, corresponding to Andreas Arkhard among the signatures of those taking an oath of allegiance in Pennsylvania in October 1753. A will written in Staunton Co., VA, in 1806 begins ‘‘In the Name of God, Amen, I, Francis Acord … ’’ but is signed in German script Frantz Eckhardt.

See the Key to the Dictionary or consult the General Introduction for further explanation.