Aylward — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: de Aylward
Meaning: from a Norman-Flemish personal name, Ailward
Traditional stronghold: Kilkenny, Waterford
Pronunciation: AYL-word
History of the Aylward name
Aylward is a Norman surname brought to Ireland in the medieval period and established chiefly in Waterford and Kilkenny, where the family became part of the merchant and landowning class of the south-east rather than a Gaelic clan. The name derives ultimately from an Old English or Norman personal name combining elements suggesting 'noble' and 'guardian'. Aylwards appear repeatedly in Waterford civic and religious life from the 15th century onward, and the surname remains most concentrated in that county and neighbouring Kilkenny.
Variants: Aleward · Aylwood · Ailward
Famous bearers of the name
- Margaret Aylward — 19th-century Dublin philanthropist who founded St Brigid's Orphanage
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Walsh · Brennan · Power · Whelan · Fitzpatrick · Tobin · McGrath · Purcell