Ward Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Ward Name Meaning: Of English and Irish origin. The Irish name comes form the Gaelic Mac an Bhaird meaning ‘son of the poet’ The old English name comes from the occupational name for a guard or watchman. Ward may also have been given as a name to someone who lived near a guardhouse.

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Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Ward Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Ward family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 9,003
Agricultural Labourer 1,458
Labourer 1,068
Domestic Servant 564
General Servant 477
Dress Maker 433
Coal Miner 431
Cotton Weaver 326
House Keeper 302
Laundress 244
Annuitant 230
Farm Labourer 230
Servant 230
Carpenter 208
Farm Servant 203
Gardener 170
Shoe Maker 170
Blacksmith 153
Butcher 145
Tailor 145
Joiner 145
Cook 135
Nurse 124
No Occupation 122
Silk Weaver 121

Ward Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Ward 100% 471,018
2 Word 75% 7,581
3 Warde 80% 3,273
4 Wride 40% 1,818
5 Eward 80% 155
6 Wrede 40% 103
7 Award 80% 102
8 Weard 80% 100

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The surname Ward is the most popular version of all its varients

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