NameCensus.

UK surname

Howey

Derived from a place name meaning "hill island" in Old English, or referring to someone who lived on a hill.

In the 1881 census there were 489 people recorded with the Howey surname, ranking it #6,883 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 674, ranked #7,950, down from #6,883 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Sunderland and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Wakefield and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Howey is 733 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.8%.

1881 census count

489

Ranked #6,883

Modern count

674

2016, ranked #7,950

Peak year

2010

733 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Howey had 489 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,883 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 674 in 2016, ranked #7,950.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 621 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Howey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Howey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Howey 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 375 #6,361
1861 historical 406 #6,320
1881 historical 489 #6,883
1891 historical 621 #6,225
1901 historical 617 #6,917
1911 historical 611 #6,744
1997 modern 643 #7,719
1998 modern 654 #7,865
1999 modern 662 #7,834
2000 modern 668 #7,767
2001 modern 652 #7,779
2002 modern 654 #7,907
2003 modern 637 #7,940
2004 modern 638 #7,939
2005 modern 649 #7,781
2006 modern 649 #7,807
2007 modern 659 #7,784
2008 modern 670 #7,731
2009 modern 691 #7,717
2010 modern 733 #7,504
2011 modern 678 #7,885
2012 modern 665 #7,926
2013 modern 675 #7,973
2014 modern 683 #7,933
2015 modern 679 #7,904
2016 modern 674 #7,950

Geography

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Where Howeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Sunderland, London parishes, Gateshead and Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Wakefield and County Durham. 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 Sunderland Durham
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 007 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
3 Wakefield 040 Wakefield
4 County Durham 011 County Durham
5 County Durham 005 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Howey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Howey

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Howey 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

Howey 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

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

Meaning and origin of Howey

The surname Howey has its origins in the British Isles, likely originating in Scotland or Northern England during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "hoh," meaning a heel or ridge, and may have referred to someone who lived near a prominent hill or ridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Howey can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. This suggests that the surname was already well-established in Scotland by the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Howey surname appears in various records in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the counties of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. It is possible that the name was associated with the settlement of Howwood, a village located in Renfrewshire, which may have been named after a prominent local landmark.

Notable individuals with the surname Howey include James Howey (1847-1938), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland in the late 19th century. Another prominent figure was Sir James Howey (1848-1925), a Scottish-born architect and civil engineer who worked extensively in South Africa and was knighted for his contributions to the country's infrastructure.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Howey is that of Robert Howey (1748-1820), an Irish-born settler who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later became a prominent landowner in Pennsylvania.

Another notable American with the surname Howey was Frank Howey (1885-1964), a journalist and publisher from Ohio who founded the renowned Howey Political Report, a respected publication that covered political affairs in the United States for several decades.

Throughout history, the Howey surname has been subject to various spellings, including Howie, Howye, and Houghy, reflecting the regional variations and phonetic adaptations that often occurred with surnames in the past.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Howey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Howey 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. Northumberland leads with 235 Howeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.59x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 235 33.59x
Durham 147 10.51x
Middlesex 44 0.94x
Kent 17 1.06x
Surrey 8 0.35x
Hampshire 6 0.62x
Yorkshire 5 0.11x
Berkshire 3 0.85x
Lancashire 3 0.05x
Sussex 3 0.38x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.70x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.34x
Ayrshire 1 0.28x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.34x
Essex 1 0.11x
Gloucestershire 1 0.11x
Lanarkshire 1 0.07x
Midlothian 1 0.16x
Suffolk 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 35 Howeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.15x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 35 29.15x
Sunderland 19 76.92x
Great Tosson Ryehill 18 9473.68x
Tynemouth 18 48.05x
Kyloe 15 931.68x
St Luke London 13 17.24x
Westoe 13 16.39x
Woolwich 13 21.93x
Amble 11 345.91x
Newtown In Rothbury 11 15714.29x
Pelton 11 165.41x
Warkworth 11 973.45x
Rothbury 10 497.51x
Bedlington 9 38.53x
North Shields 9 64.47x
Westgate 9 20.78x
Chester Le Street 8 74.49x
Elswick 8 14.33x
Ferryhill 8 163.60x
Hammersmith London 8 6.91x
Hepple 8 6153.85x
Wooler 8 325.20x
Byker 7 20.24x
Chopwell 7 269.23x
Clerkenwell London 7 6.31x
Elvet 7 69.31x
Longshaws 7 10000.00x
Southwick 7 52.83x
Westminster St John 7 12.22x
Whickham 7 54.39x
Brandon Byshottles 6 34.25x
Doddington 6 1224.49x
Gateshead 6 5.73x
Hartley 6 320.86x
Hepscott 6 1764.71x
Newington 6 3.45x
Usworth 6 80.75x
Alnwick 5 41.56x
Dunston 5 1111.11x
Guyzance 5 1724.14x
Alverstoke 4 11.47x
Middleton 4 1739.13x
St Pancras London 4 1.06x
Widdrington 4 239.52x
Brighton 3 1.88x
Chirton 3 18.95x
Clifton In York 3 30.80x
Easington 3 1250.00x
Long Houghton 3 416.67x
Newcastle On Tyne St 3 8.27x
Shoreswood 3 750.00x
Tilehurst 3 42.08x
Carham 2 110.50x
Chollerton 2 101.52x
Coleshill 2 246.91x
Hexham 2 18.47x
Holy Rood 2 102.56x
Lambeth 2 0.49x
Liverpool 2 0.59x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 2 4.79x
Norwood 2 18.60x
Ramsgate 2 7.64x
Tenby St Mary In 2 26.28x
Allendale 1 15.41x
Bolton 1 454.55x
Branton 1 714.29x
Cullercoates 1 45.45x
Dalton Le Dale 1 526.32x
Darlington 1 1.85x
Everton 1 0.56x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 1.65x
Hunmanby 1 46.08x
Ickleton 1 93.46x
Jesmond 1 10.16x
Meldon 1 384.62x
Newton On Ayr 1 9.49x
Rochester 1 181.82x
St Mary Woolnoth London 1 454.55x
Sunderland Bridge 1 45.05x
Whitley 1 44.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 37
William 37
James 33
George 19
Thomas 18
Joseph 15
Robert 13
Charles 4
Edward 4
Richard 4
Robson 4
Andrew 3
Henry 3
Aaron 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Augustus 2
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
Adam 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredrieck 1
H. 1
J. 1
Louis 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Owen 1
Patric 1
Pickering 1
Ralph 1
Reid 1
Samuel 1
Thos 1
W. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Howey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Howey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 489 people were recorded with the Howey surname. That placed it at #6,883 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Howey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 674 in 2016. That gives Howey a modern rank of #7,950.

What does the Howey surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "hill island" in Old English, or referring to someone who lived on a hill.

What does the Howey map show?

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