Sward History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Sward most often comes from the Irish name Ó Suaird, which, when Anglicized in a Fiant of 1562, becomes O'Sword. In County Down, in the early 17th century, the name was recorded in the Ulster Inquisitions as Swords, Swoordes, and Sourdes.

In County Kildare the name Swords was often a mistranslation of the Irish name Ó Claimhin, which was mistakenly equated with the Irish word "claidheamh" meaning "sword." Thus, the name Clavin is a synonym for Swords. In County Mayo Claveen is also a synonym. In the 14th century the name de Swerdes, derived from the village, appeared in several places in Ireland.

Early Origins of the Sward family

The surname Sward was first found in Counties Offaly, Leix, and Kildare, where in 1016, the successor of St. Brigid, abbess of Kildare, was named Ó Suairt according to the Four Masters. 1

Early History of the Sward family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sward research. More information is included under the topic Early Sward History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sward Spelling Variations

The archives that survive today demonstrate the difficulty experienced by the scribes of this period in their attempts to record these names in writing. Spelling variations of the name Sward dating from that time include Swords, O'Sword, O'Swerte, Swoordes, Sourdes, Swerdes, Clavin and many more.

Early Notables of the Sward family

More information is included under the topic Early Sward Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sward migration to the United States +

Thousands of Irish left in their homeland in the 18th and 19th centuries to escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, and in the search of a plot of land to call their own. These immigrants arrived at the eastern shores of North America, early on settling and breaking the land, and, later, building the bridges, canals, and railroads essential to the emerging nations of United States and Canada. Many others would toil for low wages in the dangerous factories of the day. Although there had been a steady migration of Irish to North America over these years, the greatest influx of Irish immigrants came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name Sward or a variant listed above:

Sward Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

S Sward, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
Axel F Sward, who landed in Mississippi in 1890 2
C A Sward, who arrived in Mississippi in 1890 2

Sward 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:

Sward Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Benjamin Sward, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blue Jacket" in 1865
Sarah J. Sward, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blue Jacket" in 1865
William Sward, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blue Jacket" in 1865
Sarah Sward, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blue Jacket" in 1865
Annie Sward, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blue Jacket" in 1865

Contemporary Notables of the name Sward (post 1700) +

Leif Swärd, Doctor for the England national football team
Robert Sward, poet and novelist

The Sward Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Paratus
Motto Translation: Paratus.

Citations +

O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
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)