Willard Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Willard last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Willard last name
Meaning of the Willard last name: resolute will. Willard is an English surname from the Old English personal name Wilheard, from wil, "will", and heard, "hard, brave". The last name came to Massachusetts with Simon Willard in 1634. Curiously, Abraham Lincoln stayed at the Willard Hotel in Washington before his inauguration in 1861.
Arms associated with the Willard name
Coats of arms associated with the Willard last name belong to the English heraldic tradition, each with its own blazon.
Get your full Willard family history
This is only a glimpse of the Willard story. The full Willard history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Willard coat of arms. Get the full Willard report.
Willard name FAQ
What does the Willard name mean?
Resolute will. Common variants include Willerd.
Where does the Willard surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Willard coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Willard coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).