Awarde History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Etymology of Awarde

The ancient Gaelic form of the Irish name Awarde was Mac an Bhaird, which means son of the bard.

Early Origins of the Awarde family

Early History of the Awarde family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Awarde research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1749 and 1794 are included under the topic Early Awarde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Awarde Spelling Variations

The scribes and church officials of the Middle Ages who recorded names in official documents spelled the names as they sounded. This led to the problem of one name being recorded under several different variations and thus resembling more than one person. Among the many spelling variations of the surname Awarde that are preserved in archival documents of this era include MacWard, McWard, Macanward, MacCanward, MacAward and many more.

Early Notables of the Awarde family

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

Migration of the Awarde family

Irish families began to migrate to North America in the late 18th century in the hopes of gaining their own plot of land. The majority of these early immigrant families were relatively well off because the transatlantic passage was costly. As a result the decision to immigrate was carefully made. Those immigrants that arrived in the late 1840s differed because their decision to leave was in direct response to the Great Potato Famine. Many of the families that crossed the Atlantic during this decade were destitute, either having spent all they had on the fare or even starting with nothing, but being sponsored by a philanthropic society. Whenever, these Irish families came to North America, they were made great contributions to the developing nations of the United States and what would come to be known as Canada: the earlier settlers as land clearing homesteaders, and the later immigrants as the muscle that would build the industries and routes of transportation so critical to a powerful nation. Research into the passenger and immigration lists has shown many early and significant Irish immigrants bearing the name Awarde: Elizabeth McWard, who arrived in Philadelphia from Londonderry in 1851; William McWard, who settled in Philadelphia in 1860; Anabella Ward, who came to Philadelphia in 1857.