Where does “Hereward” come from?

Hereward is derived from Old English here combined with Proto-Germanic wardō, ultimately tracing through Proto-Indo-European wer- and ker- roots of uncertain meaning.

Ancestry of “Hereward”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Old English	Hereweard	—
2	Old English	weard	guard; guard, the action of looking out for...
3	Old English	ōra	ore, unwrought metal
4	Old English	ēar	sea, ocean; grave, earth
5	Proto-Germanic	ahaz	ear
6	Proto-Finnic	ahtas	narrow, cramped
7	Proto-Baltic	anśtas	—
8	Proto-Indo-European	h₂énǵʰus	narrow, tight
9	Proto-Indo-European	h₂enǵʰ-	to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;...

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂enǵʰ- →

Hereward — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer