Ward (surname) Ward (surname) Ward is a popular Old English origin and Old Gaelic origin surname dating to before the Norman conquest of 1066 and Ireland, common in English-speaking countries. The Old English name derives from an occupational surname for a civil guard/keeper of the watch, or alternately as a topographical surname from the word "werd" ("marsh"). The Old Gaelic surname derives from "Mac an Bhaird" ("son of the Bard"), a bard being a storyteller or poet. The two names are completely unrelated ethnically one being Germanic and the other Celtic. The oldest public record of the surname dates to 1176. In
Eolais mac Biobhsach manuscripts going back almost two hundred years. O'Donovan claimed the family name ( "descendent of Eolais") is still found anglicised as "Olus" or "Olis". two instances of the surname corrupted as "Oelase" and "Olase", are found in the Irish Fiants for Leinster. The surname must be very rare. Eolais mac Biobhsach Eolais "mac Biobhsach" (alias " "knowledge", anglicized "Wallis", "Olis" or "Olus" ) was a chieftain of 10th century Gaelic Ireland. He is noted as the first "full chieftain of Conmaicne Réin". His descendants, "the Muintir Eolais", expanded into the territory of present day south county Leitrim, and parts of