Williard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Williard arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Williard comes from the Norman given name Willard. This name is derived from the Germanic roots will, meaning desire, and heard, meaning strong or hard. 1

Early Origins of the Williard family

The surname Williard was first found in east Kent and Sussex where they were Lords of the Manor of Eastbourne. The family were originally named Villiard, or Guillarrt, and were from Caen in Normandy in pre Conquest times. 2 In the Domesday Book they are recorded variously as Wielardus, Wilardus, and Wlward. 3 4 Further speculation on the origin of this distinguished family name of the U.S.A., can be deduced from the Willard Memoir by Joseph Willard published in Boston Mass. in 1858. 4 Woollard is a small village on the River Chew in the Chew Valley in East Somerset. Some of the first records of the name include: Wihelardus de Trophil who was listed in the History of Northumberland in 1168 and Wilard de Pikeeden who was listed in the same source in 1227. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Emayn Wylard. William Willarde was listed in Kent in 1602 and Nicholas Willard from Kent married Jane Coumber at Canterbury in 1690. 5

Early History of the Williard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Williard research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1605, 1617, 1630, 1634, 1640, 1643, 1672, 1676, 1692, 1701 and 1707 are included under the topic Early Williard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Williard Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Williard are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Williard include Willard, Wilard, Viliard, Villiard, Wielard, Willardby, Willardsey, Willardsham, Willardstone and many more.

Early Notables of the Williard family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Simon Willard (1605-1676), English settler to Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1634, he was one of the thirteen heads of families in Concord that signed Reverend Peter Bulkeley's 1643 petition to Governor John Endecott in support of Ambrose Martin...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Williard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Williard migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Williard, or a variant listed above:

Williard Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Fra Williard, who landed in Virginia in 1704 6

Williard Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

W.J. Williard, aged 24, who arrived in America, in 1893

Williard Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Alice M. Williard, who arrived in America, in 1904
Henry Williard, aged 36, who arrived in America from Ennescorthy, Ireland, in 1906
Mrs. Mary Hatch Williard, aged 49, who arrived in America, in 1906
Mrs. Daniel Williard, aged 44, who arrived in America, in 1908
Ellen Williard, aged 30, who arrived in America from Emiscothy, Ireland, in 1909
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Williard migration to Australia +

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

Williard Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Henry Williard, (b. 1804), aged 34, English farm labourer from Guestling, Sussex, England travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maitland" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 6th November 1838 7
Miss Elizabeth Williard, (b. 1810), aged 28, English settler from Easton, Sussex, England travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maitland" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 6th November 1838 8
Mr. James Williard, (b. 1836), aged 2, English settler from Guestling, Sussex, England travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maitland" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 6th November 1838 9
Miss Sarah Ann Williard, (b. 1838), born aboard the ship, English settler from Guestling, Sussex, England travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maitland" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 6th November 1838, she was born on the 10th August 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Williard (post 1700) +

Coy O. Williard, American 6th Chairman of the High Point Community Foundation(2011-2013), eponym of Coy O. Williard Baseball Stadium, High Point, North Carolina
George Williard, American academic, 4th President of Heidelberg University from 1866-1880, eponym of Williard Hall
Carol Williard (b. 1947), American actress, known for her roles in Pretty Woman (1990), Beaches (1988) and Overboard (1987)
Karl Williard, American forestry professor at Southern Illinois University
Paul Williard, American chemistry professor at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
Tuna Williard Scanlan (1934-2014), New Zealand professional middle/light heavyweight boxer
Williard M. McEwen, American politician, Delegate to Illinois State Constitutional Convention 25th District, 1920-22
Williard Pace, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Arizona, 1932

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 11th July 2021). Retrieved from https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5313/4_4780/Maitland_5 Nov 1838/4_478000079.jpg&No=301
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 11th July 2021). Retrieved from https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5313/4_4780/Maitland_5 Nov 1838/4_478000079.jpg&No=302
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 11th July 2021). Retrieved from https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5313/4_4780/Maitland_5 Nov 1838/4_478000079.jpg&No=303
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 11th July 2021). Retrieved from https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5313/4_4780/Maitland_5 Nov 1838/4_478000079.jpg&No=304