Aword History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Aword

What does the name Aword mean?

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

Early Origins of the Aword family

The surname Aword was first found in County Galway (Irish: Gaillimh) part of the province of Connacht, located on the west coast of the Island, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Aword family

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

Aword Spelling Variations

Many different spelling variations of the surname Aword were found in the archives researched. These included Scribes and church officials generally spelled a name as it sounded; as a result, a person's name could be spelt innumerable ways in his lifetime. MacWard, McWard, Macanward, MacCanward, MacAward and many more.

Early Notables of the Aword family

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

Migration of the Aword family

In the 18th and 19th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Irish immigrants landed on North American shores. Although many of them were merely looking for a free plot of land and living of their very own, many later immigrants were desperately fleeing an overcrowded land that did not have sufficient food for its inhabitants. The exodus from Ireland was greatest during the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine had stricken the island. Although this large influx of Irish was unpopular with the great majority of people already established within the major centers, these Irish were critical to the speedy development of the United States and those colonies that would eventually become known as Canada. These immigrants provided the cheap labor required to build modern roads, bridges, canals, and railways. Research of passenger and immigration lists has shown a number of immigrants to North America baring the name of Aword: 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.