The Pollard Family History

What Does the Pollard Surname Mean? Historical Origins Explained

The surname Pollard is of English origin, deriving from the Middle English elements 'poll' and 'ard,' which denote a prominent head, referring either to the shape of a person’s head or that of an animal. Variations in spelling for Pollard include Pollyrd and Pollerd. Geographically, the Pollard surname is distributed widely across England and parts of Wales, with the highest concentrations found in the regions of Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cornwall, Sussex, and the metropolitan area of London. In Scotland, notable populations of individuals bearing the Pollard surname are predominantly located in the counties of Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Midlothian, West Lothian, and Moray. In the United States, early Pollard families established their roots in states such as Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. Noteworthy individuals with the Pollard surname include Bernard Pollard, a professional football player; George Pollard, a distinguished portrait artist; Michael J. Pollard, an actor; Walter Pollard, a celebrated footballer in England; Scot L. Pollard, a professional basketball player; Su Pollard, a renowned English comic actress; John “Red” Pollard, a racehorse jockey and founder of the Jockey’s Club; Thomas Pollard, a prominent actor associated with William Shakespeare during the 1600s in England; Charles Pollard, a champion rugby player; Robert Pollard, a musician; and Stu Pollard, a filmmaker, writer, and producer.