Heyward

Heyward is a surname and, less commonly, a given name of English origin. It is a variant of Hayward, Haywood, or Heywood, and derives from Old English elements meaning hedge or enclosure (haeg or hag) and guardian or keeper (weard or ward). The name originally described a person responsible for guarding a hedge, boundary, or enclosure on a medieval farm or manor.

In England the form Heyward appears in medieval charters and parish records, and its spelling variants proliferated as families migrated to Ireland, Scotland, and later to the Americas. In the United States, Heyward is found among families of diverse origins and is most often maintained as a surname, though occasional instances use it as a given name.

Notable people with the surname include Jason Heyward (born 1989), an American professional baseball outfielder and World Series champion with the Chicago Cubs. The name also appears in fiction and in place or family names, but its prominence is primarily as a surname.

See also Hayward, Haywood, and Heywood for related surnames and variants.