Find out how popular the last name Alward is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Alward.

Alward, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Alward surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alward in America

Alward is the 18766th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alward surname appeared 1,461 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Alward.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alward to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Alward

The surname Alward is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name "Ælweard," which was composed of the elements "ælf" meaning "elf" and "weard" meaning "guard" or "watchman." The name may have initially referred to someone who guarded the elves or acted as a protector against them.

The earliest known record of the name Alward can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Alwart" and is listed among the landowners in various counties, suggesting its prominence during the Norman period.

In the 12th century, the surname Alward was documented in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk, which recorded financial transactions and taxes paid to the Crown. This provides evidence of the name's continued presence in England during the Middle Ages.

One notable figure with the surname Alward was Sir Thomas Alward, a 14th-century English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. He served under King Edward III and participated in several pivotal battles, including the Battle of Crecy in 1346.

Another historical figure was John Alward, a 15th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Salisbury from 1438 to 1450. He played a significant role in the ecclesiastical affairs of the time and was known for his patronage of education and the arts.

In the 16th century, the surname Alward appeared in various records, including the Parish Registers of Yorkshire, where it was sometimes spelled as "Aylward" or "Ailward." This variation in spelling was common during that period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

The name Alward has also been associated with place names in England, such as Alwardbury and Alwardby, suggesting that some families may have taken their surnames from the locations where they resided.

Other notable individuals with the surname Alward include:

1. William Alward (1578-1640), an English merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Colchester in the early 17th century.
2. Robert Alward (1625-1698), an English Puritan minister and author known for his writings on theology and religious controversies.
3. Elizabeth Alward (1723-1798), a British philanthropist and social reformer who advocated for the improvement of living conditions for the poor in London.
4. Charles Alward (1812-1890), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Academy of Music.
5. George Alward (1854-1931), a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as the 16th Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick from 1926 to 1931.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alward

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Alward.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Alward was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Alward has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Alward was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Alward, please contact us.

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