Surname Ellard - Meaning and Origin
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Ellard: What does the surname Ellard mean?
The last name Ellard is of English origin, and is derived from the French personal name Elard, which is derived from the Germanic element alaard, meaning “noble strong”. It is thought to have been introduced to England by the Normans after the conquest of 1066.
The Ellard surname is most commonly found in Southern England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Wiltshire. It is also found in Ireland, particularly in Ulster. It is likely a result of the Norman Conquest, with many Norman and French names becoming common in the British Isles.
Ellard is a habitational surname, derived from any of the various places in Britain, such as Ellerton in County Durham, Yorkshire, and veterinary in Gloucestershire. The place names themselves get their origin from the Old English elements of 'ell' which refers to a location near an island, a promontory, or a low-lying area along a river or lake, and 'ford' which means a shallow place in a river or lake where one would be able to cross over to the other side.
In addition, Ellard may be an anglicized version of the Irish O'Maoldoraidh, also known as O'Mulara. This is an Irish surname, which was Anglicized to Ellard in some cases. It is derived from the Old Irish given name 'Mael-doraidh', which is a combination of the elements 'Mael', meaning 'devotee of' and 'doraidh', meaning 'fist'.
Overall, the surname Ellard is likely derived from various locations and given names. It would have been brought to England by the Normans, and later to Ireland. It is a testament to the historical impacts on the British Isles from the various migrations of peoples who have left their mark in the many surnames that still exist today.
Order DNA origin analysisEllard: Where does the name Ellard come from?
The last name Ellard is of English origin and first appeared in Somerset, located in the southwestern part of England. Today, it is primarily found in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia.
In the United Kingdom, the Ellard surname is especially widespread in the southern region of England, particularly in the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, and Surrey. It is also found in other counties, including London, Essex, Kent, Wiltshire, and Hertfordshire.
In Ireland, the name is also concentrated in the south, primarily in Counties Cork, Waterford, and Limerick.
In Australia, Ellard is most prevalent in New South Wales followed by Victoria, both located in the southeastern part of the country. The name can also be found in the state of Queensland in the northeastern part of the continent.
The Ellard surname is relatively rare in other countries and is not common in the United States. It may appear rarely in some places, such as the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina and small towns in South Dakota.
Variations of the surname Ellard
The surname Ellard is an anglicized version of the German name Ellert. It is also found spelled as Elhard, Ellert, Ellhard, Ellhardy, and Ell Hard. Ellard is said to derive from the Germanic name Adalhard, composed of the elements adal, meaning “noble”, and hard, meaning “strong”.
The surname is most common in Britain, Ireland, and Australia. In Britain, Ellard is most common in Southern England, especially in London and the Greater London area.
Variants of the Ellard surname include Elarad, Ellard, Ellarde, Eliot, Elliot, Elliott, and elot.
Ellard is also sometimes confused with the Irish surname O'Halloran, which is of Gaelic origin, and also spelled Halloron, Halloran, Holloran, Holleran, Halleran, O'Horan, and O'Halleron.
The name Ellard has also been found spelled as Allardyce, Allard, Aldous, Allart, Elard, and Allort.
It is possible that Ellard is a variation of the similar-sounding name Ellwood, which is a Scottish-English habitational name derived from a place near Selkirk, Scotland, which was named with Old English elements elh, meaning “elm tree”, and wudu, meaning “wood”.
Famous people with the name Ellard
- Gordon Ellard: A Canadian actor who had roles in films such as Blindness, Cube 2: Hypercube, and A Wrinkle in Time.
- CJ Ellard: An American hip-hop artist from New York City who has released a handful of EP’s and music videos.
- Jimmy Ellard: A professional athlete who played college football for the University of Alabama and had a brief professional career with the New Orleans Saints.
- Brooke Ellard: An Australian fashion designer who is the founder of her own fashion label, Ellard Signature, which has been featured in both Australian and international publications.
- Patrick Ellard: An Irish film producer and editor who has worked on films such as The Keeper, Charlie Black and Troubled Water.
- Kurt Ellard: A British-born comedian who had a successful career as a stand-up and TV presenter.
- Robert Ellard: A successful Australian barrister and political activist who had a pivotal role in initiating multiple Indigenous Land rights battles in the late 1970s.
- Bill Ellard: A former American politician and businessman who served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives for 14 years and as an Alderman for the city of Chicago.
- Kym Ellard: An Australian author and speaker whose published works include the book “Living Life to the Fullest” and a range of other inspirational books and podcasts.
- Harry Ellard: A pioneer of Australian photography who is best known for his portraits of First Australians and early settler families.
- Trevor Ellard: A former New Zealand athlete who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona as part of the quadrennial sporting event’s track and field team.