For saving his life from a wild boar, King William the Lion is said to have made extensive grants of land to one of his followers named Baird.
A charter was granted to Richard Baird of Meikie and Little Kyp in Lanarkshire, and King Robert the Bruce granted the Barony of Cambusnethan to a Robert Baird. This family of Cambusnethan spread to Banffshire, and later to Auchmeddan in Aberdeenshire. George Baird of Auchmeddan married the niece of the Earl Marischal and the family increased in importance and supplied a long line of sheriffs to that county. From the Auchmeddan branch came the Bairds of Newbyth and Saughtonhall; and John, who died in 1698, was created Knight Baronet, and made a Lord of Session with the title Lord Newbyth.

General Sir David Baird, Bart., K.C.B., born in 1757, entered the army in 1772, and in command of the 73rd regiment reached Madras in 1780. When seriously wounded he was captured by Hyder Mi, and remained a prisoner until 1784. He and a sergeant were the only two remaining of the original 73rd regiment. He was at the capture of Pondicherry in 1793, and in 1799 he captured Seringapatam. He campaigned in several countries and captured the Cape of Good Hope from the Dutch in 1807. In the same year he was at the siege of Copenhagen. In 1808 he joined Sir John Moore at Corunna. After Moore's death he assumed the chief command, and had the honour of announcing the victory to the government. He received many honours and died in 1829.