NameCensus.

UK surname

Howdon

In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Howdon surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 105, ranked #30,114, down from #16,824 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead and Ryton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Gateshead and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Howdon is 134 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 19.8%.

1881 census count

131

Ranked #16,824

Modern count

105

2016, ranked #30,114

Peak year

1861

134 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Howdon had 131 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,824 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016, ranked #30,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 134 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Howdon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Howdon surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Howdon 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 67 #21,440
1861 historical 134 #16,754
1881 historical 131 #16,824
1891 historical 102 #23,719
1901 historical 80 #25,251
1911 historical 73 #25,541
1997 modern 109 #25,650
1998 modern 106 #26,689
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 98 #27,672
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 107 #26,875
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 102 #28,351
2008 modern 106 #28,016
2009 modern 113 #27,520
2010 modern 108 #28,996
2011 modern 107 #28,979
2012 modern 105 #29,362
2013 modern 106 #29,740
2014 modern 105 #30,204
2015 modern 103 #30,444
2016 modern 105 #30,114

Geography

Back to top

Where Howdons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead, Ryton, Auckland St Andrew and Brancepeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Gateshead and Leeds. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Ryton Durham
4 Auckland St Andrew Durham
5 Brancepeth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 038 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 019 Northumberland
3 Gateshead 002 Gateshead
4 Leeds 013 Leeds
5 Northumberland 040 Northumberland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Howdon

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Howdon

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Howdon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Howdon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Howdon is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Howdon is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Howdon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Howdon 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. Durham leads with 75 Howdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.58x.

County Total Index
Durham 75 19.58x
Yorkshire 21 1.65x
Northumberland 14 7.31x
Lincolnshire 7 3.40x
Middlesex 5 0.39x
Berkshire 3 3.10x
Devon 2 0.75x
Leicestershire 2 1.40x
Northamptonshire 2 1.65x
Staffordshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Winlaton in Durham leads with 13 Howdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 354.22x.

Place Total Index
Winlaton 13 354.22x
York St Mary 11 208.33x
Darlington 9 60.85x
Gateshead 9 31.38x
Hunwick Helmington 9 978.26x
Brandon Byshottles 8 166.67x
Mickley 8 1333.33x
Coundon Grange 7 833.33x
St Botolph Lincoln 7 472.97x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 23.12x
Urpeth 6 800.00x
Barnard Castle 4 211.64x
Abingdon St Helen 3 106.01x
Bishop Auckland 3 58.37x
Lamesley 3 145.63x
Selby 3 112.36x
Byker 2 21.12x
Ealing 2 17.38x
Leicester St Margaret 2 5.75x
Paddington London 2 4.22x
Plymouth Charles The 2 16.93x
Shildon 2 64.94x
Tynemouth 2 19.49x
Wellingborough 2 32.84x
Boldon 1 72.99x
Denston 1 500.00x
East Cottingwith 1 909.09x
Heworth 1 13.25x
Kensington London 1 1.40x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 10.07x
Tweedmouth 1 41.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 8
Mary 8
Sarah 5
Alice 3
Ann 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Susan 2
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Charity 1
Dinah 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Mgt. 1
Miria 1
Miriam 1
Nancy 1
Rebbeca 1
Sophia 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
Thomas 10
William 9
George 7
Joseph 6
James 5
Robert 4
Francis 2
Plews 2
Richard 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Henry 1
Jos. 1
Leonard 1
Richd. 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Howdon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Howdon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Howdon surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Howdon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016. That gives Howdon a modern rank of #30,114.

What does the Howdon map show?

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