English occupational name from Middle English ward, Old English weard 'watchman, guard'. Separately, in Ireland it is an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac an Bhaird, 'son of the bard', and three branches of that family were professional poets. The oldest public record of the surname dates to 1176.
Spellings and related forms: Mac an Bhaird, McWard, O'Ward, Baird (Scottish).
The lantern stands for the night watchman, the guard behind the English name.
Most surnames have no single "family crest". In heraldry, a coat of arms belonged to one person and passed down one line of descent. Sites that sell "the Ward coat of arms" usually show the arms of one historic family that shared the name. Ours is different on purpose: an original design built from what the name means, which any Ward can own honestly.
Blankets: soft velveteen plush (100% polyester), printed on one side; may run up to 3 in. short of the listed size. Rugs: polyester chenille with hemmed edges and a coated backing, for indoor use. Both are printed in the USA (Georgia and North Carolina).
Name meanings come from the sources above, checked 2026-10. Where scholars disagree, we say so.