NameCensus.

UK surname

Howard

An English occupational surname referring to a sheep herder, goat herder, or guardian of an estate.

In the 1881 census there were 29,350 people recorded with the Howard surname, ranking it #107 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 40,868, ranked #121, down from #107 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and North Meols. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Sefton and West Lancashire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Howard is 42,603 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.2%.

1881 census count

29,350

Ranked #107

Modern count

40,868

2016, ranked #121

Peak year

1999

42,603 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Howard had 29,350 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #107 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 40,868 in 2016, ranked #121.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 40,775 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Howard surname distribution map

The map shows where the Howard surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Howard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Howard over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 18,412 #116
1861 historical 19,607 #108
1881 historical 29,350 #107
1891 historical 31,918 #102
1901 historical 36,824 #108
1911 historical 40,775 #88
1997 modern 40,847 #109
1998 modern 42,323 #110
1999 modern 42,603 #112
2000 modern 42,361 #111
2001 modern 41,179 #112
2002 modern 42,009 #115
2003 modern 40,976 #115
2004 modern 40,785 #117
2005 modern 39,946 #117
2006 modern 39,829 #119
2007 modern 40,095 #118
2008 modern 40,233 #119
2009 modern 41,293 #118
2010 modern 41,997 #119
2011 modern 41,425 #118
2012 modern 40,598 #118
2013 modern 41,437 #118
2014 modern 41,738 #118
2015 modern 41,193 #118
2016 modern 40,868 #121

Geography

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Where Howards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, London parishes, North Meols and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Sefton, West Lancashire and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rochdale Lancashire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 North Meols Lancashire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 010 North Norfolk
2 Sefton 001 Sefton
3 West Lancashire 001 West Lancashire
4 Sefton 004 Sefton
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 002 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Howard

These lists show first names that appear often with the Howard surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Howard

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Howard, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Howard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Howard household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Howard is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Howard is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Howard falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Howard is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Howard, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Howard

The surname Howard is of English origin, derived from the Old Norse personal name Howarda, which means "high watchman" or "chief guardian." The name first appeared in England in the 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

The name is believed to have been introduced to England by Norman settlers who accompanied William the Conqueror. It is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror.

The earliest known bearer of the name was William Howard, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1166. The Howard family later became one of the most prominent noble families in England, with their ancestral home being Arundel Castle in Sussex.

One of the most famous Howards in history was Thomas Howard, the 3rd Duke of Norfolk (1473-1554). He was a prominent figure during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI, serving as Lord Treasurer and Earl Marshal of England.

Another notable Howard was Catherine Howard (c. 1520-1542), who was the fifth wife of King Henry VIII. She was executed for adultery after less than two years of marriage.

In the 17th century, John Howard (1726-1790) was a renowned English philanthropist and prison reformer. He dedicated his life to improving the conditions of prisons and advocating for the humane treatment of prisoners.

During the American Revolutionary War, John Eager Howard (1752-1827) was a prominent military officer who fought for the Continental Army. He later served as the fifth Governor of Maryland.

The surname Howard has also been associated with several notable writers and artists, including the poets Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), and Edward Howard (1624-1700), as well as the artist Henry Howard (1769-1847), who was known for his paintings of military scenes.

Overall, the surname Howard has a rich history spanning centuries and is closely tied to England's nobility, military, and cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Howard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Howard surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 6,644 Howards recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.95x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 6,644 1.95x
Middlesex 4,077 1.42x
Surrey 2,113 1.51x
Yorkshire 1,955 0.69x
Norfolk 1,926 4.37x
Essex 1,239 2.19x
Cheshire 1,111 1.76x
Kent 1,086 1.11x
Suffolk 716 2.05x
Devon 668 1.12x
Derbyshire 521 1.16x
Staffordshire 521 0.54x
Hertfordshire 467 2.36x
Sussex 457 0.95x
Cambridgeshire 437 2.41x
Warwickshire 411 0.57x
Lincolnshire 408 0.89x
Northamptonshire 407 1.51x
Durham 363 0.43x
Hampshire 363 0.62x
Buckinghamshire 345 1.99x
Gloucestershire 326 0.58x
Nottinghamshire 284 0.74x
Glamorgan 231 0.46x
Bedfordshire 223 1.50x
Somerset 209 0.45x
Leicestershire 175 0.55x
Shropshire 169 0.68x
Worcestershire 153 0.41x
Berkshire 126 0.59x
Lanarkshire 121 0.13x
Herefordshire 120 1.02x
Oxfordshire 120 0.68x
Wiltshire 99 0.39x
Northumberland 87 0.20x
Huntingdonshire 77 1.35x
Cornwall 75 0.23x
Cumberland 75 0.30x
Monmouthshire 54 0.26x
Dorset 52 0.28x
Ayrshire 43 0.20x
Renfrewshire 42 0.19x
Westmorland 38 0.60x
Midlothian 34 0.09x
Royal Navy 32 0.94x
Flintshire 29 0.38x
Denbighshire 25 0.23x
Kirkcudbrightshire 24 0.58x
Channel Islands 16 0.19x
Isle of Man 13 0.24x
Perthshire 9 0.07x
Angus 8 0.03x
Brecknockshire 8 0.14x
Merionethshire 8 0.15x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.05x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.05x
Pembrokeshire 6 0.07x
Anglesey 5 0.10x
Fife 5 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.06x
Argyllshire 2 0.03x
Buteshire 2 0.12x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.03x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.03x
Inverness-shire 2 0.02x
Radnorshire 2 0.09x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.00x
Cardiganshire 1 0.01x
Morayshire 1 0.02x
West Lothian 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Meols in Lancashire leads with 515 Howards recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.47x.

Place Total Index
North Meols 515 15.47x
Lambeth 439 1.76x
Islington London 424 1.53x
Ashton Under Lyne 401 5.39x
St Pancras London 344 1.49x
Manchester 294 1.92x
Camberwell 267 1.46x
Oldham 267 2.43x
Bethnal Green London 252 2.02x
Liverpool 228 1.10x
Kensington London 224 1.41x
St Marylebone London 212 1.39x
Hackney London 194 1.21x
West Ham 186 1.49x
Shoreditch London 184 1.48x
Toxteth Park 181 1.57x
West Derby 170 1.71x
Birmingham 169 0.70x
Mile End Old Town London 168 2.75x
Salford 158 1.58x
Chelsea London 156 1.81x
Great Yarmouth 151 4.14x
Leeds 149 0.93x
Everton 140 1.29x
Dukinfield 138 4.72x
Glossop Dale 138 6.57x
Battersea 131 1.24x
Warrington 126 3.12x
Sheffield 123 1.36x
Newington 119 1.12x
St George Hanover Square 116 2.30x
Bromley London 115 1.82x
Kirkdale 109 1.90x
Castleton 107 3.15x
Bury 105 2.70x
Clerkenwell London 99 1.46x
Bermondsey 97 1.14x
Deptford St Paul 97 1.29x
Aston 94 0.47x
Woking 94 11.17x
Croydon 93 1.20x
Paddington London 92 0.87x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 91 6.88x
Preston 89 0.98x
Stayley 87 12.03x
Hulme 86 1.21x
Portsea 86 0.75x
Blackley 83 13.92x
Saddleworth 81 3.70x
Bootle Cum Linacre 79 2.92x
Disley Stanley 79 24.25x
Holy Trinity 77 1.13x
Holme In Huddersfield 76 114.23x
Bow London 74 2.03x
Nether Hallam 74 1.93x
Pendleton In Salford 74 1.83x
Wigan 74 1.56x
Blackburn 73 0.81x
Brighton 73 0.75x
Tottington Lower End 72 4.45x
Worsley 72 3.43x
Spotland 71 1.88x
Fulham London 70 1.68x
Hammersmith London 70 0.99x
Hampstead London 70 1.57x
Heigham 69 2.92x
Leicester St Margaret 68 0.88x
Rotherhithe 68 1.92x
Birkdale 66 7.67x
Formby 66 17.14x
Stotfold 66 23.22x
Little Bolton 65 1.49x
Tottenham 64 1.40x
Elton 63 5.36x
Scarisbrick 63 15.95x
Eccleston In Prescot 62 3.63x
Wycombe 62 4.80x
Gorton 61 1.91x
Lewisham 61 1.17x
Ince In Makerfield 57 3.60x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Howard surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 1,916
Elizabeth 1,127
Sarah 1,051
Alice 579
Jane 567
Ann 554
Ellen 480
Emma 473
Eliza 443
Annie 402
Emily 354
Hannah 295
Martha 283
Margaret 273
Harriet 218
Louisa 204
Maria 194
Florence 177
Edith 171
Charlotte 170
Catherine 160
Fanny 156
Caroline 143
Kate 134
Ada 132
Clara 128
Susan 119
Lucy 106
Agnes 104
Anne 103
Harriett 100
Frances 98
Amelia 79
Rose 79
Esther 77
Matilda 75
Rebecca 74
Sophia 69
Elizth. 65
Isabella 64
Amy 62
Julia 57
Ethel 55
Minnie 55
Susannah 53
Laura 50
Anna 48
Gertrude 48
Eleanor 45
Beatrice 44

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Howard surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 1,718
John 1,670
James 1,012
George 958
Thomas 958
Henry 694
Charles 630
Joseph 462
Robert 455
Edward 353
Samuel 306
Alfred 304
Arthur 287
Richard 240
Frederick 230
Walter 201
Harry 192
Albert 171
Herbert 144
Frank 142
Ernest 111
David 91
Edwin 85
Wm. 83
Fred 75
Benjamin 70
Daniel 67
Francis 65
Peter 61
Thos. 55
Stephen 52
Isaac 45
Percy 40
Chas. 38
Fredk. 36
Fredrick 36
Abraham 35
Geo. 33
Edmund 32
Jesse 32
Robt. 29
Sidney 28
Christopher 27
Tom 27
Horace 26
Willm. 26
Andrew 25
Jno. 25
Ralph 25
Joshua 24

FAQ

Howard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Howard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 29,350 people were recorded with the Howard surname. That placed it at #107 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Howard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 40,868 in 2016. That gives Howard a modern rank of #121.

What does the Howard surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a sheep herder, goat herder, or guardian of an estate.

What does the Howard map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Howard bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.