Cowerd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Etymology of Cowerd

The ancestors of the Cowerd family brought their name to England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Cowerd is for a tender of cattle. The name is an adaptation of the Old English word cuhyrde, of the same meaning. It derives from the roots, cu, meaning cow, and hierde, meaning herdsman. 1

"Although the popular derivation of this opprobrious word from 'cow-herd' (whose occupation would be regarded with some disdain by the chivalrous in the Middle Ages) is untenable, I think it quite probable that the surname may be from that source, like Shepherd, Hayward, and other similar names." 2

With due regard to the these sources, we must revisit the Norman origin for a moment. In this case, the name was "from La Couarde, near Rochelle. Radulphus de Coarda occurs in Normandy 1198. " 3

Early Origins of the Cowerd family

Early History of the Cowerd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cowerd research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1622, 1637, 1656, 1657, 1663, 1674, 1675, 1677, 1679, 1680, 1725, 1735 and 1738 are included under the topic Early Cowerd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cowerd Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Cowerd have been found, including Coward, Cowerd and others.

Early Notables of the Cowerd family

William Coward (1657?-1725), English physician, born at Winchester in 1656 or 1657. "His mother was sister of Dr. John Lamphire, principal of Hart Hall, Oxford, and Camden professor of history, whose property he apparently inherited (Hearne, Collections, i. 248). In May 1674 Coward was admitted as a commoner of Hart Hall; and in 1675 a scholar of Wadham College. He proceeded B.A. in 1677, and in January 1679-1680 was elected fellow of Merton. " 5 Another William Coward (d. 1738), was "a London merchant, famous for his liberality to dissent, possessed large property, including lands and hereditaments in Jamaica. Little is known...
Another 157 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cowerd Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cowerd family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Cowerd were among those contributors: John and Joanne Coward who settled in Virginia in 1654; James Coward settled in Maryland in 1774; Thomas Coward settled in Baltimore Maryland in 1823..