Ward
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Ward Surname Genealogy
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John Ward, born in Canterbury in 1571, was a composer of madrigals.
Jack Ward was an English pirate who later became a Barbary Corsair operating out of Tunis at the turn of the 17th century.
Aaron Montgomery Ward was the American businessman who founded the mail order firm Montgomery Ward in 1872.
Joseph Ward was New Zealand's Prime Minister twice in the early 20th century.
Barbara Ward from Yorkshire was a 20th century British economist involved in the problems of developing countries.
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For other surnames check the companion selectsurname.com site where there are to be found the history and genealogy for more than 500 surnames.
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The English surname Ward has two
and possibly three derivations, the first being occupational (a weard or guard or keeper of the
watch) and the second topographical (one who lived by a werd or marsh). Meanwhile,
an early Ward family in Northampton claimed Norman descent, from a
Fouques de Vardes of Normandy.
Richard Ward was recorded as aged 47 in Stafford in 1432. An ennobled Ward family from Sedgeley in Staffordshire started with Hurrible Ward, a wealthy goldsmith and jeweller to Charles I. These Wards later became the Earls of Dudley. The first Earl was briefly British Foreign Secretary in 1827.
Later surname distribution showed the Ward name to be more found in the north of England.
Ireland. Most Wards in Ireland are of native Irish origin. The name also appears in Ulster as an anglicization of the Gaelic mac an Bhaird, meaning "son of the bard." The Mac an Bhaird family, dating from the 11th century, originally served as the bards to the O'Donnells and was one of the learned families of late medieval Ireland. Aedh Buidh Mac an Bhaird (Hugh Ward), born in Donegal in 1590, is considered the father of Irish archaeology. The name has been most common in Galway and Donegal.
The Wards of county Down, the head of whose family is Viscount Bangor, are of English origin, however. The line began with Bernard Ward from Cheshire who had been appointed Surveyor General of Ireland by Queen Elizabeth. In 1570 he acquired Castle Ward in Strangford, county Down which was to be the family home. A later Bernard Ward rebuilt the castle in the 18th century.
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Ward Resources on
The
Internet
- Ancient History of the Surname Ward. Early Wards.
- Irish Surnames - Ward. Wards in Ireland.
- Ward Family Website. Wards from Staffordshire.
- Ward Family Website. Wards from Ireland to Australia.
Richard Ward was recorded as aged 47 in Stafford in 1432. An ennobled Ward family from Sedgeley in Staffordshire started with Hurrible Ward, a wealthy goldsmith and jeweller to Charles I. These Wards later became the Earls of Dudley. The first Earl was briefly British Foreign Secretary in 1827.
Later surname distribution showed the Ward name to be more found in the north of England.
Ireland. Most Wards in Ireland are of native Irish origin. The name also appears in Ulster as an anglicization of the Gaelic mac an Bhaird, meaning "son of the bard." The Mac an Bhaird family, dating from the 11th century, originally served as the bards to the O'Donnells and was one of the learned families of late medieval Ireland. Aedh Buidh Mac an Bhaird (Hugh Ward), born in Donegal in 1590, is considered the father of Irish archaeology. The name has been most common in Galway and Donegal.
The Wards of county Down, the head of whose family is Viscount Bangor, are of English origin, however. The line began with Bernard Ward from Cheshire who had been appointed Surveyor General of Ireland by Queen Elizabeth. In 1570 he acquired Castle Ward in Strangford, county Down which was to be the family home. A later Bernard Ward rebuilt the castle in the 18th century.
Select Ward Names
John Ward, born in Canterbury in 1571, was a composer of madrigals.
Jack Ward was an English pirate who later became a Barbary Corsair operating out of Tunis at the turn of the 17th century.
Aaron Montgomery Ward was the American businessman who founded the mail order firm Montgomery Ward in 1872.
Joseph Ward was New Zealand's Prime Minister twice in the early 20th century.
Barbara Ward from Yorkshire was a 20th century British economist involved in the problems of developing countries.
Select Wards Today
- 126,000 in the UK (most numerous in Yorkshire)
- 82,000 in America (most numerous in Texas)
- 71,000 elsewhere (most numerous in Canada)
Select Surname List
For other surnames check the companion selectsurname.com site where there are to be found the history and genealogy for more than 500 surnames.
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