NameCensus.

UK surname

Howett

A locational surname derived from a place name containing the Old English elements "hoh" meaning a ridge or hill.

In the 1881 census there were 348 people recorded with the Howett surname, ranking it #8,791 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 333, ranked #13,670, down from #8,791 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Hythe St Leonard, Cheriton, Newington, Saltwood, West Hythe, Burmarsh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Melton, Norwich and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Howett is 603 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.3%.

1881 census count

348

Ranked #8,791

Modern count

333

2016, ranked #13,670

Peak year

1861

603 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Howett had 348 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,791 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 333 in 2016, ranked #13,670.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 603 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Howett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Howett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Howett 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 346 #6,798
1861 historical 603 #4,390
1881 historical 348 #8,791
1891 historical 491 #7,536
1901 historical 391 #9,638
1911 historical 513 #7,687
1997 modern 346 #12,273
1998 modern 351 #12,511
1999 modern 350 #12,609
2000 modern 353 #12,480
2001 modern 336 #12,721
2002 modern 354 #12,490
2003 modern 335 #12,815
2004 modern 328 #13,058
2005 modern 322 #13,175
2006 modern 327 #13,092
2007 modern 330 #13,142
2008 modern 339 #13,022
2009 modern 347 #13,044
2010 modern 366 #12,800
2011 modern 346 #13,192
2012 modern 336 #13,376
2013 modern 342 #13,399
2014 modern 349 #13,293
2015 modern 344 #13,332
2016 modern 333 #13,670

Geography

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Where Howetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Hythe St Leonard, Cheriton, Newington, Saltwood, West Hythe, Burmarsh and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Melton, Norwich, Newcastle upon Tyne, Lochee and Maldon. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Hythe St Leonard, Cheriton, Newington, Saltwood, West Hythe, Burmarsh Kent
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Melton 006 Melton
2 Norwich 005 Norwich
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 031 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 Lochee Dundee City
5 Maldon 006 Maldon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Howett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Howett

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Howett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Howett household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Howett is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Howett is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Howett 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 Howett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Howett

The surname Howett has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hol" meaning hollow or depression, and "wett" meaning wet or moist, suggesting a connection to a geographical feature or location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a Robert de Holewath is mentioned. This early spelling variation, "Holewath," further supports the theory of the name's geographic origins.

During the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Holwath, Holweit, and Howett, in several regions of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. It is believed that the name may have been associated with specific places or settlements where the bearers resided or originated from.

In the 14th century, the Howett surname gained prominence when a John Howett, born around 1310, served as a soldier in the Hundred Years' War under King Edward III. His valor and service to the Crown were documented in historical records of the time.

Another notable figure bearing this surname was William Howett, born in 1492 in Lincolnshire. He was a prominent merchant and landowner, whose wealth and influence were recorded in local chronicles of the Tudor period.

The Howett name also appeared in literary works, such as the 16th-century play "The Merry Wives of Windsor" by William Shakespeare, where a character named Master Howett is mentioned, although the role is relatively minor.

During the 17th century, the Howett family established itself in the English county of Dorset, where several members held positions of importance in local governance and the clergy. One such individual was Reverend Thomas Howett, born in 1628, who served as the vicar of Stinsford for over four decades.

In the 18th century, the Howett surname gained recognition through the exploits of Captain James Howett, born in 1745. He was a naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and was commended for his bravery and leadership in several battles against the French and Spanish fleets.

As the centuries progressed, the Howett surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with some bearers migrating to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to other corners of the world during the age of exploration and colonization.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Howett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Howett 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. Middlesex leads with 49 Howetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.44x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 49 1.44x
Nottinghamshire 46 10.05x
Leicestershire 41 10.89x
Derbyshire 25 4.70x
Surrey 22 1.33x
Kent 21 1.81x
Yorkshire 19 0.56x
Lancashire 18 0.45x
Northumberland 16 3.17x
Lincolnshire 12 2.21x
Warwickshire 10 1.17x
Durham 9 0.89x
Northamptonshire 9 2.82x
Cheshire 6 0.80x
Norfolk 6 1.15x
Dunbartonshire 5 5.48x
Staffordshire 5 0.44x
Hampshire 4 0.57x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.95x
Suffolk 3 0.73x
Sussex 3 0.52x
Berkshire 2 0.78x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.97x
Gloucestershire 2 0.30x
Isle of Man 2 3.17x
Worcestershire 2 0.45x
Brecknockshire 1 1.47x
Essex 1 0.15x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.48x
Lanarkshire 1 0.09x
Midlothian 1 0.22x
Rutland 1 4.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 20 Howetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.79x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 20 21.79x
Melton Mowbray 13 192.02x
Cheriton 11 233.05x
Elswick 9 22.33x
Nottingham St Peter 9 176.47x
Paddington London 9 7.21x
Glusburn 8 421.05x
Hendon 8 65.52x
Manchester 8 4.42x
Newington 8 6.38x
Pilsley In Chesterfield 8 1269.84x
St Pancras London 8 2.93x
East Retford 7 176.32x
Wilnecote 7 285.71x
Camberwell 6 2.77x
Hunslet 6 11.44x
Monks Coppenhall 6 21.22x
Newark Upon Trent 6 36.47x
Oundle 6 168.07x
Woodborough 6 582.52x
Bonhill 5 34.15x
Crich 5 144.09x
Derby St Werburgh 5 16.29x
Gateshead 5 6.61x
Heigham 5 17.85x
Langar 5 1020.41x
Nottingham St Mary 5 4.22x
Oakthorpe Donsthorpe 5 495.05x
St George Hanover Square 5 8.36x
Tottenham 5 9.25x
Bethnal Green London 4 2.71x
Everton 4 3.12x
Handsworth 4 14.16x
St Stephen Coleman Street 4 336.13x
Staveley 4 42.42x
Tynemouth 4 14.79x
Baston 3 333.33x
Birmingham 3 1.05x
Clapham 3 7.07x
Farndon 3 370.37x
Grantham 3 42.43x
Greenwich 3 5.55x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 6.86x
Holbeck 3 13.46x
Liverpool 3 1.23x
Lowestoft 3 15.36x
Northampton Priory St 3 15.66x
Plumstead 3 7.77x
Radford 3 12.91x
Selsey 3 285.71x
Clerkenwell London 2 2.50x
Dudley 2 3.71x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 2 16.42x
Hackney London 2 1.05x
Hythe St Leonard 2 48.90x
Lambeth 2 0.68x
Lonan 2 52.36x
Reading St Giles 2 8.00x
Ripley 2 30.44x
Rotherhithe 2 4.77x
Saltwood 2 246.91x
Westgate 2 6.39x
Basford 1 4.74x
Belgrave 1 11.78x
Belton 1 227.27x
Cheetham 1 3.33x
Chelsea London 1 0.98x
Currie 1 35.97x
Dalserf 1 9.12x
Finchley 1 7.69x
Fraserburgh 1 11.30x
Londonthorpe 1 476.19x
North Shields 1 9.92x
Pilkington 1 6.54x
Putney 1 6.46x
Southampton All Sts 1 8.38x
Southampton St Mary 1 2.29x
Threckingham 1 588.24x
Tibshelf 1 38.31x
Wolverton 1 23.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 17
Mary 16
Elizabeth 10
Ann 9
Annie 8
Eliza 7
Emma 7
Jane 7
Fanny 5
Ada 4
Alice 4
Charlotte 4
Ellen 4
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Maud 3
Betsy 2
Catherine 2
Esther 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Hellen 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Bella 1
Bridget 1
Edith 1
Elisabeth 1
Ellie 1
Georgina 1
Helen 1
Hellin 1
Henrietta 1
Hephzebah 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Kitty 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Marion 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 18
William 18
John 14
Thomas 11
Charles 8
Henry 8
Robert 7
Joseph 6
Edward 5
Harry 5
Alfred 4
Edwin 4
Frank 4
Fred 4
James 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Francis 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Fredk. 2
Isaac 2
Samuel 2
Titus 2
Wilfred 2
Albric 1
Andrew 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Douglas 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
Fredc.J. 1
Frederick 1
Harold 1
Hugh 1
J.H. 1
Jno. 1
Jonas 1
Ralph 1
Reed 1
Sidney 1
Simeon 1
Thistleton 1
Thos.W. 1

FAQ

Howett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Howett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 348 people were recorded with the Howett surname. That placed it at #8,791 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Howett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 333 in 2016. That gives Howett a modern rank of #13,670.

What does the Howett surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name containing the Old English elements "hoh" meaning a ridge or hill.

What does the Howett map show?

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