One whose occupation involved overseeing the sowing and harvesting of crops as well as protecting the crops from stray people or animals.
"The farmer harvested the Hayward kiwifruits early in the season to avoid frost damage."
A kiwifruit variety.
In plain English: A hayward is an old-fashioned title for someone who took care of livestock and fences on a farm.
"The hayward was walking through the fields to check on the livestock."
Usage: This term is archaic and rarely used in modern English; prefer "farmer" or "steward." Avoid confusing it with the proper name Hayward, which refers to a person's surname rather than an occupation.
A occupational surname.
"The Hayward family has lived in this village for three generations as a common occupational surname derived from their ancestors' work."
The word hayward is a compound formed from "hay" and "ward," combining these elements to describe someone who guarded or protected stored hay. It entered English as a straightforward descriptive term for this specific type of farm worker.