Show ContentsHallweard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Hallweard is from the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was given to a person who was a keeper of a hall. The surname Hallweard is composed of the elements hall, which denoted one who was employed at such a manor-house or hall, and ward, which was originally applied to one who was a watchman. [1]

"The Domesday Book Æluuard, Aluuard, Eluuardus may represent OE Ælfweard ‘elf guard’ which is clearly represented above or OE Æðelweard ‘noble guard’ which survives as Aylward and also appears as Alward. In the 12th century the two names were confused." [2] But earlier records show "AElward and Ailward were personal names before 1086. [3]

Early Origins of the Hallweard family

The surname Hallweard was first found in Suffolk at Bury St Edmunds where the first entries for the name were singularly Aluardus (1182-1186), and Alfwardus pistor (1200-1211.) [2]

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included entries for Bernard Aylward, Wiltshire; Beatrix Aylward, Buckinghamshire; and Alan Alward, Cambridgeshire. [4] In Norfolk, records there show John Ayleward, Norwich, 1325 and Hamond Ayleward, vicar of Swardeston, Norfolk, 1376. [5] Early Somerset records show Nicholas Alyward, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign. [6]

In Scotland, "John Aluart was "office bearer," [and was] probably procurator of the Scottish Nation in the University of Orleans, 1418." [7]

Early History of the Hallweard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hallweard research. Another 59 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1626 and 1669 are included under the topic Early Hallweard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hallweard Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Hallweard family name include Allward, Alward, Alwood, Allwood, Alwart, Ailward, Alyward, Aylward, Ailard, Allard, Aillard, Ailard and many more.

Early Notables of the Hallweard family

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hallweard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Hallweard family to Ireland

Some of the Hallweard family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hallweard family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name Hallweard or a variant listed above: John Alward who settled in Maryland in 1666; Andrew Alward who settled in Boston in 1849. In Newfoundland the family settled in Cape Broyl, Grand Falls and St. John's..



  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
  6. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  7. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)


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