Show ContentsEllard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the Ellard surname lie with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name Ellard began when someone in that family worked as a keeper of a hall. The surname Ellard 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 Ellard family

The surname Ellard 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 Ellard family

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

Ellard Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Ellard has appeared include Allward, Alward, Alwood, Allwood, Alwart, Ailward, Alyward, Aylward, Ailard, Allard, Aillard, Ailard and many more.

Early Notables of the Ellard family

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

Ellard Ranking

In the United States, the name Ellard is the 13,795th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 8

Migration of the Ellard family to Ireland

Some of the Ellard 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.


Ellard migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Ellard arrived in North America very early:

Ellard Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Benjamin Ellard, who arrived in New England in 1736 9

Ellard migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ellard Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Edward Ellard, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • Robert Ellard, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • Thomas Ellard, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749

Ellard migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Ellard Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Richard Ellard, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 14 years for coining, transported aboard the "Caledonia" on 5th July 1820, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
  • Francis Ellard, a brass-worker, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • Edward Ellard, aged 44, a shoemaker, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Pestonjee Bomanjee" 11

Contemporary Notables of the name Ellard (post 1700) +

  • Henry Austin Ellard (b. 1961), American NFL football wide receiver
  • John Ellard, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Oklahoma, 1912 12
  • William Ellard (b. 2006), British swimmer who competed at the 2024 Paralympics, winning Gold and Silver
  • Michael Ellard (1946-2022), Irish sports journalist from Cork, Ireland who wrote for the Irish Examiner
  • Prof. Sian Ellard O.B.E., British Consultant Clinical Scientist for Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and Professor Genomic Medicine for the University of Exeter, was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for services to Patient Care 13
  • Brian Joseph Ellard M.A., Ph.D., (b. 1940), Canadian educator, musicologist, arranger, and conductor
  • David Ellard (b. 1989), Australian rules footballer
  • Thomas "Tom" Ellard (b. 1962), Australian electronic musician


  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)
  8. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  9. 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)
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caledonia
  11. South Australian Register Wednesday 15th March 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Pestonjee Bomanjee 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/hyderabad1854.shtml
  12. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  13. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists


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