NameCensus.

UK surname

Howatt

An occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "hawat", meaning a helmeted guard or watchman.

In the 1881 census there were 170 people recorded with the Howatt surname, ranking it #14,265 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 95, ranked #31,782, down from #14,265 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ayr Newton and St Quivox, Kirkwall and St.Ola and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Morningside and Craighouse, Isle of Wight and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Howatt is 221 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 44.1%.

1881 census count

170

Ranked #14,265

Modern count

95

2016, ranked #31,782

Peak year

1891

221 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2006

Key insights

  • Howatt had 170 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,265 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 95 in 2016, ranked #31,782.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 221 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Howatt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Howatt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Howatt 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 127 #14,547
1861 historical 171 #13,692
1881 historical 170 #14,265
1891 historical 221 #13,897
1901 historical 187 #15,793
1911 historical 29 #30,190
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 125 #24,198
1999 modern 117 #25,362
2000 modern 112 #25,978
2001 modern 104 #26,765
2002 modern 102 #27,596
2003 modern 99 #27,871
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 105 #27,203
2006 modern 101 #28,125
2007 modern 101 #28,505
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 93 #30,682
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 84 #32,502
2013 modern 94 #31,656
2014 modern 95 #31,792
2015 modern 96 #31,624
2016 modern 95 #31,782

Geography

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Where Howatts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ayr Newton and St Quivox, Kirkwall and St.Ola, Govan Combination, Cathcart and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Morningside and Craighouse, Isle of Wight, Cornwall, Douglas West and Kilmardinny East. 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 Ayr Newton and St Quivox Ayr
2 Kirkwall and St.Ola Orkney
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Cathcart Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Morningside and Craighouse City of Edinburgh
2 Isle of Wight 010 Isle of Wight
3 Cornwall 036 Cornwall
4 Douglas West Dundee City
5 Kilmardinny East East Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Howatt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Howatt

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Howatt is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Howatt 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

Howatt falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Howatt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Howatt

The surname Howatt has its origins in Scotland, with roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Scots word "howat," which means a small knoll or hillock. This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive name for someone who lived near or on a small hill.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in parish records from the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the areas around Dumfries and Galloway. One of the earliest recorded examples is James Howatt, who was born in Dumfries in 1587.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in several historical documents, including the Court Records of Renfrewshire, where a John Howatt is mentioned in 1635. This suggests that the name had spread beyond the Borders region by this time.

The Howatt surname is also closely associated with the village of Howat in Renfrewshire, which may have been named after an early bearer of the name. This village is first mentioned in records from the late 16th century, further supporting the antiquity of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Howatt include:

1. Robert Howatt (1605-1678), a Scottish merchant and landowner from Renfrewshire who played a role in the Scottish Reformation. 2. William Howatt (1724-1801), a Scottish-born soldier who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. 3. James Howatt (1802-1885), a Scottish-born settler in New Zealand who became a prominent farmer and local politician. 4. Archibald Howatt (1845-1921), a Scottish-born journalist and publisher who co-founded the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper. 5. Marguerite Howatt (1887-1958), a Canadian artist and painter known for her landscape and portrait works.

While the Howatt surname is relatively uncommon, it has a long and rich history rooted in Scotland's past. Its connection to place names and its appearance in historical records provide valuable insights into the origins and evolution of this distinctive surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Howatt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Howatt 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 41 Howatts recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.78x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 41 7.78x
Worcestershire 18 8.46x
Lancashire 17 0.88x
Renfrewshire 15 11.88x
Ayrshire 14 11.48x
Aberdeenshire 13 8.62x
Banffshire 10 29.59x
Orkney 9 50.22x
Middlesex 7 0.43x
Angus 5 3.31x
Lincolnshire 4 1.54x
Surrey 4 0.50x
Fife 3 3.11x
Peeblesshire 3 39.16x
Hampshire 1 0.30x
Norfolk 1 0.40x
Warwickshire 1 0.24x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

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 21 Howatts recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.75x.

Place Total Index
Barony 21 15.75x
Govan 12 9.21x
Ribbesford 11 621.47x
Fraserburgh 9 211.76x
Kirkwall St Ola 9 335.82x
Eastwood 8 102.96x
Glasgow 8 8.55x
Dudley 7 27.07x
Everton 7 11.36x
Shoreditch London 7 9.91x
Cathcart 6 87.85x
Rothiemay 6 779.22x
Brechin 5 84.32x
Coylton 5 289.02x
Riccarton Hurlford 5 233.64x
Barrow In Furness 4 15.21x
Stewarton 4 165.98x
Aberdeen Old Machar 3 9.52x
Burntisland 3 111.11x
Eddleston 3 750.00x
Lutton 3 697.67x
Marnoch 3 165.75x
Camberwell 2 1.92x
Lambeth 2 1.41x
Toxteth Park 2 3.06x
West Derby 2 3.54x
Baston 1 232.56x
Birmingham 1 0.73x
Farnborough 1 28.49x
Gamrie 1 26.53x
Mearns 1 45.25x
North Meols 1 5.29x
Norwich St Margaret 1 256.41x
Preston 1 1.93x
Udny 1 109.89x
Whitby 1 18.38x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 5
William 3
David 2
John 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Thos. 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Barclay 1
Christopher 1
Frederic 1
George 1
Hugh 1
Peter 1
Porterfd. 1
Porterfield 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Howatt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Howatt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 170 people were recorded with the Howatt surname. That placed it at #14,265 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Howatt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 95 in 2016. That gives Howatt a modern rank of #31,782.

What does the Howatt surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "hawat", meaning a helmeted guard or watchman.

What does the Howatt map show?

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