The Heyward Family Name

Heyward is a familiar spelling of the English name Hayward. Its meaning, shared with Hayward, is “guardian of hedges and fences”.

Family crest and blazon

Looking for a Heyward coat of arms? Arms were granted to families, not to surnames, and our research shows which heraldic tradition fits yours.

Heyward and Hayward

Heyward writes “e” in place of the “a” found in Hayward, a typical scribal difference. Before spelling was standardised, one family could appear under several forms. Other spellings include Haward.

In the 2010 US Census, 4,867 Americans gave Heyward as their last name (rank 6,904). Heyward sounds close to Heward and Howard, so it can help to search both. Want more than a summary? See the Heyward family name pack.