NameCensus.

UK surname

Howarth

Derived from a place name meaning "enclosed settlement" in Old English, likely referring to a person's residence.

In the 1881 census there were 14,416 people recorded with the Howarth surname, ranking it #279 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 13,446, ranked #476, down from #279 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Burnley, Rochdale and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Howarth is 17,696 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.7%.

1881 census count

14,416

Ranked #279

Modern count

13,446

2016, ranked #476

Peak year

1911

17,696 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Howarth had 14,416 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #279 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 13,446 in 2016, ranked #476.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 17,696 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Howarth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Howarth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Howarth 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 7,602 #367
1861 historical 7,753 #360
1881 historical 14,416 #279
1891 historical 14,634 #290
1901 historical 16,769 #300
1911 historical 17,696 #267
1997 modern 13,577 #448
1998 modern 13,987 #451
1999 modern 14,084 #453
2000 modern 14,024 #452
2001 modern 13,703 #452
2002 modern 14,025 #451
2003 modern 13,651 #452
2004 modern 13,569 #456
2005 modern 13,333 #456
2006 modern 13,336 #459
2007 modern 13,396 #460
2008 modern 13,450 #462
2009 modern 13,835 #461
2010 modern 13,992 #465
2011 modern 13,773 #465
2012 modern 13,362 #472
2013 modern 13,710 #468
2014 modern 13,779 #469
2015 modern 13,555 #475
2016 modern 13,446 #476

Geography

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Where Howarths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Manchester, Bolton-le-Moors and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Burnley, Rochdale and Bolton. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Burnley 014 Burnley
2 Rochdale 007 Rochdale
3 Rochdale 004 Rochdale
4 Burnley 010 Burnley
5 Bolton 034 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Howarth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Howarth

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Howarth, 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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Howarth 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

Howarth 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

Howarth falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Howarth 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 Howarth, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Howarth

The surname Howarth is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "hoor" meaning "hoar" or "grey" and "worth" meaning "an enclosure or homestead." It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of England, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire, where many early records of the name can be found.

The earliest known record of the surname Howarth dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273 as "Howarth." Over time, various spellings emerged, including Howart, Howath, Howworth, and Howorth, reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations.

One notable historical reference to the name Howarth can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Horewrde" in reference to a landowner in Yorkshire. This record suggests that the name may have been in use even earlier than the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the name Howarth appeared in several Lancashire records, such as the Lancashire Wills and Inventories from 1548-1625, where individuals with the surname Howarth are mentioned. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Howarth, born in 1520 in Lancashire.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname Howarth. One of the most prominent figures was William Howarth (1592-1647), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who represented Lancashire in the Long Parliament during the English Civil War.

Another notable bearer of the name was Robert Howarth (1664-1735), a British mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. He was born in Lancashire and is known for his work on the motion of the moon and the calculation of eclipses.

In the literary world, Ellen Howarth (1827-1899) was a British novelist and poet who wrote under the pen name "Louisa" and published several well-received works in the 19th century, including "The Early Life of Jesus" and "Lyrics and Legends."

Additionally, Edward Howarth (1914-1992) was a British novelist and playwright best known for his works "The Samson Twins" and "The Student Prince," which explored themes of identity and social class in post-war Britain.

Another notable figure was Thomas Howarth (1841-1927), a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of the mechanical printing press. His innovations revolutionized the printing industry in the late 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Howarth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Howarth 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 11,395 Howarths recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.84x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 11,395 6.84x
Yorkshire 1,823 1.31x
Cheshire 387 1.25x
Derbyshire 166 0.76x
Middlesex 104 0.07x
Durham 85 0.20x
Staffordshire 59 0.12x
Surrey 47 0.07x
Kent 33 0.07x
Westmorland 27 0.88x
Nottinghamshire 25 0.13x
Essex 22 0.08x
Hampshire 20 0.07x
Lanarkshire 19 0.04x
Aberdeenshire 18 0.14x
Sussex 16 0.07x
Warwickshire 15 0.04x
Berkshire 9 0.09x
Worcestershire 9 0.05x
Cumberland 8 0.07x
Shropshire 8 0.07x
Angus 7 0.05x
Devon 7 0.02x
Huntingdonshire 7 0.25x
Roxburghshire 7 0.28x
Dorset 6 0.07x
Royal Navy 6 0.36x
Somerset 6 0.03x
Lincolnshire 5 0.02x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.07x
Denbighshire 4 0.08x
Flintshire 4 0.11x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.12x
Norfolk 4 0.02x
Northumberland 4 0.02x
Suffolk 4 0.02x
Gloucestershire 3 0.01x
Kincardineshire 3 0.18x
Anglesey 2 0.08x
Bedfordshire 2 0.03x
Cornwall 1 0.01x
Glamorgan 1 0.00x
Herefordshire 1 0.02x
Merionethshire 1 0.04x
Monmouthshire 1 0.01x
Oxfordshire 1 0.01x
Wiltshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Spotland in Lancashire leads with 517 Howarths recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.92x.

Place Total Index
Spotland 517 27.92x
Oldham 490 9.11x
Castleton 437 26.27x
Bury 422 22.18x
Manchester 340 4.54x
Heap 337 38.14x
Habergham Eaves 331 21.74x
Preston 292 6.55x
Tottington Lower End 285 36.00x
Wuerdle Wardle 284 56.16x
Little Bolton 282 13.17x
Blackburn 266 6.00x
Burnley 257 18.32x
Salford 227 4.63x
Great Bolton 212 9.61x
Wardleworth 198 20.80x
Blatchinworth 181 47.72x
Ashton Under Lyne 179 4.92x
Hulme 179 5.15x
Butterworth 177 43.61x
Elton 176 30.58x
Middleton In Oldham 166 33.24x
Great Little Marsden 149 19.53x
Radcliffe 149 18.56x
Halliwell 145 23.92x
Halifax 129 6.32x
Accrington 128 8.45x
Pilkington 122 19.28x
Wigan 121 5.20x
Pendleton In Salford 113 5.69x
Chadderton 110 13.51x
Chorley 109 11.66x
Farnworth 109 10.92x
Sowerby In Halifax 105 23.08x
Hopwood 103 47.30x
Todmorden Walsden 98 21.96x
Over Darwen 96 7.22x
Newchurch 93 6.82x
Harwood 90 103.41x
Newton 89 6.93x
Padiham 84 20.87x
Midgley 72 48.57x
Hindley 71 10.00x
Gorton 70 4.47x
Worsley 70 6.82x
Skircoat 68 12.40x
Turton 68 24.93x
Droylsden 65 11.96x
Broughton In Salford 64 4.20x
Everton 63 1.19x
Barrowford Booth 61 33.09x
Colne 59 11.89x
Tonge 59 16.88x
Walmersley Cum 57 21.41x
Huddersfield 55 2.71x
Bradford 53 1.57x
Liverpool 53 0.52x
West Derby 53 1.09x
Royton 52 10.20x
Rumworth 52 21.84x
Livesey 50 17.10x
Chorlton On Medlock 49 1.85x
Stansfield 49 9.57x
Whalley 49 20.18x
Crompton 48 10.12x
Westhoughton 48 10.80x
Haslingden 47 6.81x
Hyde 47 5.14x
Little Hulton 47 17.04x
Edgeworth 46 51.41x
Ince In Makerfield 46 5.93x
Saddleworth 46 4.29x
Ecclesall Bierlow 45 1.59x
North Meols 45 2.76x
Tottington Higher End 44 23.20x
Glossop Dale 43 4.18x
Stockport 43 2.70x
Crumpsall 42 10.70x
Oswaldtwistle 42 7.14x
Rishton 42 21.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,200
Sarah 665
Elizabeth 642
Alice 406
Ann 333
Jane 324
Ellen 251
Margaret 232
Hannah 225
Martha 225
Annie 164
Emma 149
Betty 123
Eliza 119
Emily 115
Harriet 77
Maria 76
Ada 75
Nancy 71
Clara 69
Betsy 65
Susannah 65
Esther 54
Isabella 52
Rachel 48
Charlotte 46
Catherine 43
Edith 43
Fanny 43
Elizth. 39
Amelia 37
Agnes 34
Anne 33
Bertha 31
Eleanor 31
Louisa 31
Susan 31
Florence 30
Caroline 29
Frances 28
Grace 28
Lucy 27
Rebecca 23
Ruth 21
Matilda 20
Gertrude 18
Lilly 18
Selina 18
Eliz. 17
Lydia 17

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1,052
James 833
William 706
Thomas 515
George 296
Robert 282
Joseph 271
Henry 223
Richard 199
Samuel 163
Charles 122
Edward 122
Alfred 91
Albert 79
Harry 79
Arthur 75
Fred 75
Walter 68
Herbert 63
David 60
Peter 60
Benjamin 56
Frank 55
Frederick 50
Wm. 49
Abraham 48
Edmund 37
Edwin 37
Ernest 34
Thos. 34
Adam 27
Daniel 25
Ralph 21
Jas. 18
Jno. 17
Andrew 16
Joshua 16
Jonathan 15
Mark 15
Moses 15
Eli 14
Nathaniel 14
Tom 14
Giles 13
Isaac 12
Simeon 12
Christopher 11
Dennis 11
Hugh 11
Matthew 11

FAQ

Howarth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Howarth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14,416 people were recorded with the Howarth surname. That placed it at #279 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Howarth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 13,446 in 2016. That gives Howarth a modern rank of #476.

What does the Howarth surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "enclosed settlement" in Old English, likely referring to a person's residence.

What does the Howarth map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Howarth 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.