My name is Brian Churchward. I have been rseaching all branches of the Churchward surname since 1971. I am a member of the Guild of One-Name Studies, and have been asnwering Churchward queries for many years.
The earliest know Churchward (so far) is Walter Churchward in Paignton in 1332, and all branches of the surname have their roots in the South Hams area of South Devon, England, in parishes like Paignton, Stoke Gabriel, Buckfastleigh, Brixham etc.
There is NO variant of the Churchward surname. The Churchyard name (and its variant Churchard) come from Suffolk on the other side of England, and Churchwood is NOT a surname - it only appears when people cannot spell Churchward!