This was especially true in Ireland, where almost all Gaelic names had been "anglicized" at some point. McWard, Warde, Wardman, Wordman, Wards, and Warder are all variations of the name Ward. This is a Celtic name that is prevalent in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It may be traced back to an ancient Germanic name Wagha, which was originally applied only to males. The name Wagha has been found in contemporary records among others named Waltheof, Waifer, and Walter.
Warde could be a variant of this name. It is also possible that the name was originally written as Vardd and that this was somehow misinterpreted by researchers who were looking for evidence of early English speakers changing the final d to a v.
The first record of the name Ward is that of Sir Edmund Ward, who was born around 1160. He was an English lawyer and politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons between 1298 and 1315. He also played a role in the impeachment of King Henry IV in 1403.
Another person with the same name was also involved in politics. He was William Ward (1606-1684), who served as Governor of Massachusetts from 1657 to 1658. He was instrumental in securing the passage of the New England Bylaws, which established government authority over the region.
Ward is a masculine name of English origin that meaning "Guardian." The name was popular among medieval knights and soldiers. Wards were young boys named after their guardian who served as an adult mentor to them.
Other forms of the name include Wigard, Wigardus, Wigbert, Wiggo, Wiggan, Wiggie, Wiley, Wilkie, and Wilmer.
Wards have been used as pet names since at least the 1920s. One of the first appearances in print of this form of the name was in Amelia E. Barr's novel, Wigwam City, published in 1927. On page 29, we read about Mrs. Martin Van Buren: "She had two wards instead of children, Jack and Bobbie, and she was very proud of them."
The family name Ward was originally written with an F sound at the end of it. This was to indicate that the name was originally spelled Wagard. The letter F disappeared from many English words over time, so it is possible the spelling of Ward changed to avoid mispronouncing Wagard.
Ward is an Old English and Old Gaelic surname that is popular in English-speaking nations. The Old English name is derived from an occupational surname for a civic guard/keeper of the watch, or from the word werd, which is a topographical surname ("marsh"). The earliest record of the name is around AD 900.
There are many different theories about how the name became popular among people in England. Some say it is a version of the French name Hubert, while others claim it is a variant of Richard or Robert. However, the most likely explanation is that the name was originally given as a pet form of Henry, which was often used as a prefix for namesakes (e.g., "John Henry's child") or others who resembled or were referred to using this name.
In Ireland, the name first appeared during the 11th century. It is thought that it might have been introduced into Ireland by Norman settlers to England.
The ward family name is associated with several towns across both countries. These include Wardsville, South Carolina; Washington County, Arkansas; and New York City, where there is a Ward Island within the Bronx.
The name has also become popular among immigrants to North America, especially those living in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. In the United States, the name is commonly used as a given name too.
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