Seward
An English surname with several possible roots, most commonly linked to the old personal name Siward/Seaward, though some branches may come from a sow-herd byname.
The #3,430 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 29,690 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Seward is usually explained as a variant of the old personal name Siward or Seaward. In one long-standing interpretation, that name comes from Old English elements meaning 'sea' and 'guardian,' giving the sense 'sea-guard' or 'sea-ward.' Some early surname scholars also connected Seward with an occupational byname meaning 'sow-herd,' from Old English words for 'sow' and 'herder.'
History
Medieval records show many spellings and related forms, including Saward, Seaward, and Siward, which makes the surname hard to pin to a single origin in every case. The personal-name explanation is the strongest overall, but the occupational reading appears in some local examples and may apply to certain families. In later centuries the name remained established in England and spread abroad through emigration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A medieval spelling cited by one authority is 'Alicia Sneherd'—a form that shows how unstable surname spelling could be before standardized orthography.
From the historical record
“SEVILLE for Saville, q.v. SEWARD I = Seaward, q.v. 2 for SiwapdS q.v. 3 Sow-Herd [M.(N.) ^,su{e)herd, O.E. sA + hierde'\' SEWARDS, Seward's (Son). SEWART = Seward, q.v. SEWELL ] (Teut.) i the O.Teut. Sewald, Sle-”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)