NameCensus.

UK surname

Howat

A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name or occupation.

In the 1881 census there were 928 people recorded with the Howat surname, ranking it #4,142 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,140, ranked #5,172, down from #4,142 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Old Cumnock, Govan Combination and Dumfries. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Nithsdale, Mauchline Rural and Summerville.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Howat is 1,184 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.8%.

1881 census count

928

Ranked #4,142

Modern count

1,140

2016, ranked #5,172

Peak year

2000

1,184 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Howat had 928 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,142 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,140 in 2016, ranked #5,172.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,079 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Howat surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Howat surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Howat 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 594 #4,316
1861 historical 739 #3,698
1881 historical 928 #4,142
1891 historical 1,002 #4,139
1901 historical 1,079 #4,477
1911 historical 145 #18,255
1997 modern 1,116 #5,005
1998 modern 1,140 #5,102
1999 modern 1,172 #5,030
2000 modern 1,184 #4,963
2001 modern 1,134 #5,049
2002 modern 1,152 #5,087
2003 modern 1,092 #5,210
2004 modern 1,103 #5,170
2005 modern 1,096 #5,144
2006 modern 1,117 #5,074
2007 modern 1,122 #5,096
2008 modern 1,130 #5,108
2009 modern 1,143 #5,157
2010 modern 1,143 #5,267
2011 modern 1,138 #5,227
2012 modern 1,112 #5,249
2013 modern 1,134 #5,234
2014 modern 1,129 #5,288
2015 modern 1,126 #5,244
2016 modern 1,140 #5,172

Geography

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Where Howats are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Old Cumnock, Govan Combination, Dumfries, Glasgow and Kilmarnock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Nithsdale, Mauchline Rural, Summerville, Cumnock Rural and Lochside and Lincluden. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Old Cumnock Ayr
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Dumfries Dumfries
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Kilmarnock Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway
2 Mauchline Rural East Ayrshire
3 Summerville Dumfries and Galloway
4 Cumnock Rural East Ayrshire
5 Lochside and Lincluden Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Howat

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Howat

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Howat surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Howat household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Howat 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

Howat is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Howat 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 Howat 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 Howat, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Howat

The surname Howat is believed to have originated in Scotland, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "hol" and "wat," meaning "a hollow by the water." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a waterway or body of water with a hollowed-out area nearby.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Howat name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document containing a list of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. In this record, the name appears as "Howath." Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, Howat.

The Howat family is believed to have originated in the area around Ayrshire, Scotland. Several place names in this region, such as Howat Burn and Howat Holm, may have influenced the development of the surname. These place names likely referred to geographical features like streams or islands near the family's ancestral lands.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Howat was recorded as a tenant farmer in the parish of Kilwinning, Ayrshire. Additionally, in the 16th century, a man named Robert Howat served as a notary public in Edinburgh, indicating the family's presence in urban areas during that time.

Another prominent individual with the Howat surname was Sir John Howat, who lived in the 17th century and served as a judge in the Court of Session in Scotland. His legal expertise and reputation as a fair and impartial jurist earned him significant respect during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, a Scottish philosopher named Robert Howat gained recognition for his work on moral philosophy and ethics. Born in 1722, he authored several influential texts exploring the nature of morality and its role in society.

During the 19th century, a Scottish artist named James Howat made a name for himself with his landscape paintings, capturing the rugged beauty of the Scottish countryside. Born in 1832, his works were widely admired and can be found in several art galleries and private collections.

While the Howat surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, as Scottish immigrants settled in these regions over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Howat families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Howat 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. Lanarkshire leads with 339 Howats recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.69x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 339 11.69x
Ayrshire 260 38.75x
Renfrewshire 60 8.64x
Lancashire 53 0.50x
Dumfriesshire 37 18.68x
Banffshire 25 13.44x
Kirkcudbrightshire 23 17.72x
Dunbartonshire 14 5.81x
Northumberland 12 0.90x
Angus 11 1.32x
Stirlingshire 11 3.33x
Buckinghamshire 10 1.85x
Brecknockshire 9 5.02x
Middlesex 9 0.10x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.84x
Midlothian 7 0.58x
Peeblesshire 6 14.23x
Glamorgan 4 0.26x
Surrey 4 0.09x
Warwickshire 4 0.18x
Perthshire 3 0.75x
Radnorshire 3 4.15x
Cheshire 2 0.10x
Fife 2 0.38x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.18x
Ross-shire 1 0.41x
Roxburghshire 1 0.62x
Royal Navy 1 0.94x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 120 Howats recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.35x.

Place Total Index
Barony 120 16.35x
Govan 117 16.32x
Glasgow 49 9.52x
Dreghorn 48 395.06x
Old Cumnock 43 287.82x
Galston 29 158.04x
Old Monkland 27 23.47x
Renfrew 19 82.82x
Sanquhar 17 244.25x
Kilmarnock 15 18.79x
Paisley High Church 15 27.12x
Dalmellington 14 70.96x
Ochiltree 13 281.39x
Kilmaurs 12 105.08x
Alvah 11 262.53x
Avondale 11 64.90x
Ayr 10 31.59x
Dumfries 10 51.20x
Monkton Prestwick 10 153.14x
New Cumnock 10 85.98x
Preston 10 3.51x
Upton Cum Chalvey 10 46.30x
Kilwinning 9 41.55x
Llangenny 9 580.65x
Arbroath 8 29.07x
Banff 8 49.54x
Bonhill 8 20.69x
Hulme 8 3.60x
Kilmalcolm 8 96.04x
Oldham 8 2.33x
Stirling 8 19.19x
Troqueer 8 47.00x
East Greenock 7 10.67x
Elswick 7 6.58x
Irvine 7 37.55x
Shettleston 7 26.96x
Tarbolton 7 63.41x
Dalry 6 19.01x
Grange 6 110.29x
Rainford 6 52.17x
Dalrymple 5 119.05x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 1.03x
Glencairn 5 93.99x
Kirkbean 5 200.00x
Kirkdale 5 2.79x
Kirkurd 5 574.71x
Loudoun 5 31.00x
New Kilpatrick 5 21.82x
Port Glasgow 5 14.89x
Toxteth Park 5 1.39x
Aston 4 0.64x
Cathcart 4 10.64x
Clapham 4 3.57x
Hackney London 4 0.80x
Irongray 4 165.98x
Swansea Town 4 3.13x
Urmston 4 57.97x
Westgate 4 4.84x
Dryfesdale 3 32.86x
East Kilbride 3 24.15x
Rhulen 3 1578.95x
Sorn 3 22.76x
Stewarton 3 22.61x
Tyrie 3 28.79x
Walton On Hill 3 5.21x
Auckinleck 2 9.63x
Birkenhead 2 1.27x
Dalkeith 2 8.44x
Largs 2 12.65x
Liverpool 2 0.31x
Maryhill 2 3.52x
Muirkirk 2 12.70x
Newburgh 2 29.67x
Perth West Church 2 10.48x
St George Hanover Square 2 1.27x
St Ninians 2 6.10x
St Quivox 2 8.82x
West Derby 2 0.64x
St Vigeans 1 2.23x
Tottenham 1 0.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 8
Mary 7
Agnes 6
Elizabeth 6
Jane 3
Sarah 3
Ann 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Florence 2
Jessie 2
Margt. 2
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Catherine 1
Ethel 1
Helen 1
J. 1
Janet 1
Jasper 1
Jean 1
Jeanie 1
Louisa 1
Maray 1
Margret 1
Martha 1
Rebekah 1
Ruth 1
Winefred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 7
James 6
David 3
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Alexr. 1
Andrew 1
Benjamin 1
Douglas 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
George 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Jas.M. 1
Reginald 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Howat surname: questions and answers

How common was the Howat surname in 1881?

In 1881, 928 people were recorded with the Howat surname. That placed it at #4,142 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Howat surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,140 in 2016. That gives Howat a modern rank of #5,172.

What does the Howat surname mean?

A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name or occupation.

What does the Howat map show?

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