THE WILLARD FAMILY

The Willard surname dates back to the 11th century. The surname is from Norman-Saxon origin. The Willard family is a very old English and Norman family, and before that Italian family.  Humbert, Count Bianchi de Villard, inherited the title from his brother Othon in 1240 and had two children named after himself and his brother.The younger child Humbert became CARDINAL Humbert, whose son led the papal army.

The oldest son of Count Humbert was named Othon for his grandfather. Count Othon went to Rouen and from there to Caen. In Caen, he no longer used the title and went only by the name of Villard. In 1310 he was suspected of being disloyal to the French Crown, and he fled with his family to England.

In England, Henri, Count Villard, was awarded grants of land in Sussex and Kent by King Edward III. Later King Richard appointed him as a magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant of five counties. He was also granted a coat of arms described as "argent a: chevron sable between three fish weirs proper five ermine spots." The family motto is Patientia Duris: Endure with Strength. His children thereafter were named with the Willard surname.

One of the first Willards to this country was Simon Willard, born in 1601. In May of 1634 he voyaged with his wife, children, sister Margerie, and her husband Captain Dolor Dvis to the New World. They are believed to have come on one of Winthrop's ships. They arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. They bought the land from the Indians where Concord is today. They paid them in trade goods. They bought the land from Indians in 1636 and remained friends with them.