'bardship' originates from English, specifically the words 'bard' + '-ship', where 'bard' originally meant 'poet' (from Old Irish) and '-ship' (from Old English 'scipe') meant 'state, condition, office'.

'bard' changed from Old Irish 'bard' into Middle English 'bard' and remained as 'bard' in Modern English; '-ship' developed from Old English 'scipe' to Middle English '-ship' and combined with 'bard' to form the modern compound 'bardship'.

Initially it meant 'the office or condition of being a poet or court singer', and over time it has retained that core meaning but become chiefly literary or archaic in modern usage.