Contents [hide]

Heywood History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Heywood History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Heywood is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was taken on by someone who worked as a person who was in charge of protecting an enclosed forest from damage by vandals, animals, and poachers. The name was originally derived from the Old English haye, which meant enclosure. 1 Another source notes the name as an occupational name as in " 'the hayward,' a keeper of cattle, literally 'hedge-watcher'". 2

"The duties of the hayward were of a varied nature. His chief task seems to have been to guard the cattle at pasture; but he also protected the crops from thieves, trimmed the hedges, etc. In old poems he is generally represented as carrying a horn." 3

And to underscore the Saxon heritage, one learned source bluntly says "there is nothing Norman in this name." 4

Early Origins of the Heywood family

The surname Heywood was first found in Lancashire at Heywood, a town and chapelry, in the township of Heap, parish and union of Bury, hundred of Salford. "Heywood, in the Saxon, denotes the site of a wood in a field, or a wood surrounded by fields; a family of the same name resided here for many generations. " 5 Heywood Hall was long the residence of the ancestors of the baronet's family. 1

One source notes "the son of John, the eldest son of William de Wiggenshall, who took the sir-name of Heyward, Hauuard, or Howard; and was the first of this Family of that Sir-name, which, as I take it, he took from the office of Heyward there." 6

The first record of the family was found in the Domesday Book of 1086 when Hauuart, an early spelling of the family name was listed in Yorkshire. 7

Years later, Haward de Wihton was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1166 and later again, William, Stephen Haward was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Cheshire in 1332. 7

As an occupational name, early records were scattered as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Adam le Hayward in Devon; Roger le Hayward in Buckinghamshire; and Alicia le Heyward in Huntingdonshire.

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Robertus Hayward and Magota Hayward. 2

Early History of the Heywood family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Heywood research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1497, 1530, 1535, 1564, 1569, 1570, 1578, 1580, 1598, 1599, 1600, 1627, 1630, 1633, 1641, 1650, 1663, 1677, 1687, 1693, 1702, 1746, 1756, 1776 and 1809 are included under the topic Early Heywood History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Heywood Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Heywood include Hayward, Heyward, Haward, Haywood, Heywood and others.

Early Notables of the Heywood family

Distinguished members of the family include

Sir John Hayward (c. 1564-1627), a noted Elizabethan historian, lawyer and politician, born near Felixstowe, Suffolk; John Heywood (1497?-1580), an English poet, friend of Sir Thomas More, and a court...

Heywood Ranking

In the United States, the name Heywood is the 8,131^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 8

Heywood migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Heywood Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

George Heywood, who landed in New England in 1638 9
Richard Heywood, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 9
John Heywood, who arrived in New England in 1656 9
Roger Heywood, who landed in Virginia in 1663 9

Heywood Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joseph Heywood, who arrived in New York in 1831 9
Arthur Heywood, aged 50, who arrived in New York in 1854 9

Heywood migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Heywood Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Heywood, British Convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Earl Spencer" in May 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
Mr. Isaac Heywood, (William, Hayward, Clough), (b. 1800), aged 19, English dyer who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Canada" on 23rd April 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. Robert Heywood, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Canada" on 23rd April 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. George Heywood, British convict who was convicted in Lancaster, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 19th November 1827, settling in New South Wales, Australia 12
John Heywood, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on February 22, 1834, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Heywood migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Heywood Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Edward Howard Heywood, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship Tuscan

Contemporary Notables of the name Heywood (post 1700) +

Maria E. Heywood, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virgin Islands, 2000, 2004; Member of Democratic National Committee from Virgin Islands, 2004 14
Harry Heywood, American politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from New York County 19th District, 1934 14
Ernest Heywood, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maine, 1956 14
Chester D. Heywood, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 1920 14
Charles D. Heywood, American Republican politician, Mayor of Berkeley, California, 1913-15; Postmaster at Berkeley, California, 1925-33 14
Albert Heywood, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Wisconsin Democratic State Central Committee, 1954 14
A. R. Heywood, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Utah, 1908 (alternate), 1916 14
Sir Benjamin Heywood (1793-1865), English banker, son of Nathaniel Heywood, banker, born at Manchester on 12 Dec. 1793, and educated at the Glasgow University 15
Jeremy John Heywood GCB, CVO (1961-2018), Baron Heywood of Whitehall, a British politician, Cabinet Secretary (2012-2018), Head of the Home Civil Service (2014-2018)
Mr. Samuel Heywood, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1778 to 1779

Historic Events for the Heywood family +

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Robert Francis Heywood, British Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 16
Mr. Harry Heywood, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 16

SS Atlantic

Hannah Heywood, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Jane Heywood, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Mr. John Booth Heywood, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-spencer
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canada
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1827
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1834 with 230 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1834
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html