Hi bherward, thanks for replying to this thread. If you are tracing a Mayo line, then we are almost certainly connected - given it's such a rare name.
In my line, I've found some of the family [siblings] going by Harwood, Herwood, Hereward, Howard and Harewood.
There are other Herwards in nearby Clonbur which is in County Galway, but I haven't managed to connect to them yet, though I would assume there is some connection if we could go back far enough.
I have recently found further information for my line. My GG Grandfather Patrick [born 1835, married Mary Conroy, b. 1836] Herward's father was James Herward [b. circa 1789] and James had a brother named John Herward [b. circa 1790]. John was a widower, I don't know if he had children but would like to follow that line further.
James can be found in Griffith's Valuation at the Lindsay Estate, Capaquila, Davros, Hollymount, Co. Mayo, Ireland. His brother John, who was a ploughman, was living and working at Mount Jennings, Roos, County Mayo.
There is a marriage record for the Protestant Church in Kilmaine, County Mayo, for a Henry Herward to a Mary Burke in 1744. I haven't been able to connect to these yet but was surprised to learn there were Herwards in Kilmaine for that long.
We have always assumed there was a religion change from Protestant to Catholic but haven't figured out if and when that happened yet.
As regards my GG Grandfather Patrick Herward [b. 1835, d. 1875] who I had been told died following a stone to the head, I have finally found newspaper articles to confirm the story which had been passed down through the family.
Find attached. [first name incorrectly written as 'John' in first article]
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