Hilliard Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Hilliard last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Hilliard last name
Meaning of the Hilliard last name: from Hildegard, 'battle enclosure'. Hilliard is an English surname from the medieval female personal name Hildegard, of Germanic origin, from hild, "battle", and gard, "enclosure". As a family name it passed from mother to child. The Elizabethan court painter Nicholas Hilliard, famous for his portrait miniatures of Elizabeth I, made the last name well known.
Arms associated with the Hilliard name
Coats of arms associated with the Hilliard surname follow English heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Hilliard family history
This is only a glimpse of the Hilliard story. The full Hilliard history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Hilliard coat of arms. Get the full Hilliard report.
Hilliard name FAQ
What does the Hilliard name mean?
from Hildegard, 'battle enclosure'. Common variants include Hillyard, Hilyard, Hillier.
Where does the Hilliard surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Hilliard coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Hilliard coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).