Surname Woollard - Meaning and Origin

Woollard: What does the surname Woollard mean?

The last name Woollard is an English surname derived from a nickname that was used to describe a person who was a manufacturer of wool goods. The name stems from the Middle English phrase “woolwarde” which was used to refer to those who worked in the textile industry. It is possible that the Woollard name derived from the various place names which share a similar spelling or derivation.

The Woollard name is found throughout the United Kingdom and the United States and is thought to have begun in England. It is believed to have been popularized as a surname during the 11th century after the Norman Conquest of England when the language transition from Old English to Middle English began and surnames developed.

Woollard is thought to have been given to those who were involved in the early stages of the wool trade, as well as to those from places which the name was associated with, such as Woolmeter in Norfolk, or a variation of the name ‘Wollard’ in County Hampshire, England.

In the United States, records of the surname date back to the mid-17th century when several people bearing the name Woollard arrived in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, and continued to spread through the states in the following years.

Woollard: Where does the name Woollard come from?

The last name Woollard is most commonly found in the United Kingdom, particularly England and Wales. According to the Great Britain Family Names Profiling, the last name Woollard is most common in the East Midlands region of England, with the highest concentration in the county of Lincolnshire.

In the 1881 census, which was taken before the population explosion caused by industrialisation, the last name Woollard was most commonly found in Buckinghamshire, with a concentration in the towns of Amersham, Chalfont St Giles, and Stokenchurch.

Today, the surname Woollard remains numerous in Buckinghamshire, and in other eastern counties such as Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. In addition, the surname is also fairly common in western counties such as Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset.

In August 2020, the website Ancestry.com reported that around 5,500 individuals with the last name Woollard were living in the United Kingdom. The most popular first names with the Woollard surname included John, William, George, and Thomas.

Overall, the last name Woollard is most commonly found in the East Midlands of England and other areas of the United Kingdom. In August 2020, around 5,500 individuals were living with the surname Woollard.

Variations of the surname Woollard

The surname Woollard is derived from an Old English term; its variants include Wollard, Woolyard, Woolard, Wulder, Wollard, Woolward, and Woolwarde.

Variations of Woollard often indicate where an individual's family originated. These spellings can be found in different parts of the British Isles. In England, Woolard is most common in the counties of Cornwall, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire, and Woolward is found in counties such as Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Devon. In Scotland, Woolyard is particularly prevalent.

The surnames with the -ard ending could also have originated from the Norman French word ‘hard’, meaning ‘hardy, brave and strong’. This is very likely in the case of most of the above variations, perhaps explaining why the spelling Woolwarde is most associated with coats of arms.

The Old English meaning of Woollard is ‘a guardian of the wool herds’, which is perhaps where the surname Woolard may originate from. A woolyard is an area of land where animals are kept for sheep farming, which would also explain the origin of the surname Woolyard.

Lastly, the surname Wulder may have come about as a variation of Woollard however, an alternative theory suggests they could have been adapted by a family of Welsh origin. It is worth noting that all of the surnames are still found in Wales today.

Famous people with the name Woollard

• Sophie Woollard: British actress best known for her roles in the television series' Badger, Doctors and Uniform.
• Brooke Woollard: American singer-songwriter, best known for her collaborations with Timbaland, Dan Wilson and other major producers.
• Edward Woollard: British prisoner who gained notoriety in 2010 for being involved in a siege of London's Botanic Gardens while protesting university fees.
• Meg Woollard: Australian artist renowned for her expressive, colourful paintings inspired by the natural world.
• David Woollard: British stage and TV actor, best known for his work in the streaming sitcom English Census and his roles in the stage production of Macbeth.
• Steven Woollard: British video game composer and sound designer, known for several titles including Meriwether and the Island of Torments and Puzzle Quest: Enders Valley.
• James Woollard: British classical pianist, arranger and member of the Young Classical Pianists Trust.
• Annie Woollard: British film director and screenwriter, known for her work on the political drama The Wake and the short anti-war film War Horse.
• Martin Woollard: British composer, conductor and educator, best known for his work with the Britten-Pears Young Classical Singer of the Year Award.
• Angus Woollard: British journalist, columnist and broadcaster, best known for his work in the political and cultural magazines New Statesman and Prospect.

Other surnames

Woollacott