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

Aylward, 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 Aylward surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Aylward in America

Aylward is the 14409th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Aylward surname appeared 2,074 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 Aylward.

We can also compare 2010 data for Aylward 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 Aylward

The surname AYLWARD originates from England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English personal name Ægelward, which is composed of the elements "ægel" meaning "noble" and "weard" meaning "guard" or "watchman."

AYLWARD was initially found in counties such as Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire, where it was closely associated with the village of Aylworth in Gloucestershire. This place name connection suggests that some early bearers of the surname may have taken their name from the location where they lived or held land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname AYLWARD appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a Roger Aylward. The surname is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, listing a Walter Aylward.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname AYLWARD. However, it does record individuals with the personal name Ægelward, which may have later evolved into the surname.

Notable bearers of the surname AYLWARD throughout history include John Aylward (c. 1521-1594), an English Roman Catholic martyr executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Sir Giles Aylward (c. 1535-1618), a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in 1589 and known for his involvement in the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots.

In the 17th century, William Aylward (c. 1610-1669) was a British botanist and plant collector who contributed significantly to the study of plant life in the American colonies. Alyward Township in Ontario, Canada, was named after Edward Aylward, an early settler in the region during the 19th century.

In more recent times, the English actor John Aylward (born 1946) has gained recognition for his roles in television shows and films, including appearances in "The Sopranos," "ER," and "Moneyball."

While the AYLWARD surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and colonization. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English personal name Ægelward and its strong historical connections to the English counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Aylward

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

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 Aylward 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 Aylward 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 Aylward was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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