NameCensus.

UK surname

Howick

A locational surname derived from the Northumberland village name Howick.

In the 1881 census there were 395 people recorded with the Howick surname, ranking it #8,037 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 429, ranked #11,214, down from #8,037 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Bletchingley and Graffham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waverley, Rushcliffe and Eastbourne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Howick is 580 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.6%.

1881 census count

395

Ranked #8,037

Modern count

429

2016, ranked #11,214

Peak year

1911

580 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Howick had 395 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,037 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 429 in 2016, ranked #11,214.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 580 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Howick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Howick surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Howick 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 234 #9,241
1861 historical 276 #9,052
1881 historical 395 #8,037
1891 historical 465 #7,874
1901 historical 535 #7,671
1911 historical 580 #7,013
1997 modern 496 #9,352
1998 modern 518 #9,342
1999 modern 506 #9,574
2000 modern 510 #9,485
2001 modern 487 #9,656
2002 modern 499 #9,648
2003 modern 503 #9,446
2004 modern 493 #9,605
2005 modern 464 #9,976
2006 modern 450 #10,237
2007 modern 445 #10,428
2008 modern 442 #10,573
2009 modern 445 #10,780
2010 modern 444 #11,017
2011 modern 445 #10,880
2012 modern 443 #10,796
2013 modern 442 #10,997
2014 modern 438 #11,149
2015 modern 436 #11,099
2016 modern 429 #11,214

Geography

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Where Howicks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Bletchingley, Graffham and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waverley, Rushcliffe, Eastbourne, Reigate and Banstead and Arun. 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 Bletchingley Surrey
3 London parishes London 3
4 Graffham Sussex
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waverley 013 Waverley
2 Rushcliffe 014 Rushcliffe
3 Eastbourne 002 Eastbourne
4 Reigate and Banstead 014 Reigate and Banstead
5 Arun 005 Arun

Forenames

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First names often paired with Howick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Howick

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Howick, 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 Howick surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Howick 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, Howick 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

Howick is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Howick

The surname Howick is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "hoh" meaning "heel" or "ridge" and "wic" meaning "dwelling" or "village." It is believed to have originated in the village of Howick in Northumberland, located in the north-east of England.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Howick dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Howic." This suggests that the name has been in use for over nine centuries.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Hauewyk" and "Hawyk," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir William de Howick, a knight who lived in the late 13th century and owned lands in Northumberland.

During the 16th century, the surname Howick was also found in the records of the parish of Hartburn in Northumberland, where several families with this name resided.

In the 17th century, a notable figure with the surname Howick was Sir Henry Howick (1599-1674), a member of the English gentry and a Justice of the Peace for Northumberland.

Another prominent individual was Viscount Howick, born as Charles Grey (1764-1845), a British Whig statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834.

In the 19th century, Aretas Akers-Douglas, 1st Viscount Chilston (1851-1926), was a British politician who held the title of Baron Howick from 1885 to 1892 before being elevated to Viscount Chilston.

Reverend Henry Howick (1836-1920) was an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Howick in Northumberland from 1862 to 1920.

Sir Ralph Howick (1638-1712) was an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Northumberland in the late 17th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Howick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Howick 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. Surrey leads with 157 Howicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.36x.

County Total Index
Surrey 157 8.36x
Sussex 131 20.17x
Kent 47 3.58x
Middlesex 22 0.57x
Hampshire 19 2.41x
Berkshire 7 2.42x
Shropshire 5 1.50x
Durham 3 0.26x
Yorkshire 2 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.38x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Burstow in Surrey leads with 44 Howicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 2767.30x.

Place Total Index
Burstow 44 2767.30x
South Bersted 20 362.32x
Reigate Foreign 19 93.46x
Eastbourne 16 53.53x
Portsea 16 10.34x
Graffham 15 2777.78x
Croydon 14 13.43x
Wisborough Green 14 642.20x
Westerham 9 297.03x
Preston 8 70.55x
Southwark St John 8 67.91x
Bletchingley 7 285.71x
Deptford St Paul 7 6.90x
East Lavington 7 2413.79x
Lambeth 7 2.08x
Patcham 7 603.45x
Shoreham 7 374.33x
Bermondsey 6 5.23x
Shalford 6 288.46x
Thursley 6 444.44x
Wandsworth 6 16.18x
Barnes 5 62.97x
Hackney London 5 2.31x
Halstead 5 781.25x
Lavant Mid 5 925.93x
Lurgashall 5 515.46x
New Windsor 5 51.44x
Singleton 5 684.93x
Westminster St Margaret 5 26.90x
Worthing 5 694.44x
Bromley 4 19.96x
Clerkenwell London 4 4.40x
Heyshott 4 677.97x
Lodsworth 4 444.44x
North Chapel 4 380.95x
Albrighton 3 186.34x
Bishopwearmouth 3 3.05x
Camberwell 3 1.22x
Cranleigh 3 109.09x
Greenwich 3 4.89x
Kingston On Thames 3 6.65x
Putney 3 17.08x
Tonbridge 3 6.33x
Warblington 3 95.85x
Batley 2 5.51x
Battersea 2 1.41x
Broadwater 2 13.42x
Dorking 2 15.86x
Godalming 2 16.92x
Guildford Holy Trinity 2 55.87x
Lee 2 10.48x
Lewisham 2 2.85x
Maidstone 2 5.11x
Midhurst 2 93.90x
St Pancras London 2 0.64x
Streatham 2 7.00x
Wombridge 2 48.66x
Beckenham 1 5.82x
Bushey 1 15.82x
Clapham 1 2.08x
Clewer 1 8.44x
Cocking 1 131.58x
East Preston 1 181.82x
Godstone 1 29.76x
Great Bookham 1 69.44x
Guildford St Nicholas 1 30.12x
Lewes St John Southover 1 22.94x
Nottingham St Mary 1 0.74x
Nutfield 1 70.42x
Paddington London 1 0.71x
Parham 1 833.33x
Pulborough 1 42.02x
Rumbolds Wyke 1 84.03x
Speldhurst 1 14.95x
St Sepulchre London 1 17.73x
Tandridge 1 123.46x
Walton On Thames 1 11.60x
West Tarring 1 103.09x
Westminster St John 1 2.13x
Woolwich 1 2.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 17
Sarah 14
Emily 11
Alice 8
Annie 8
Ellen 7
Emma 7
Charlotte 5
Eliza 5
Anne 4
Edith 4
Eleanor 4
Fanny 4
Harriet 4
Martha 4
Ann 3
Florence 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Ada 2
Adelaide 2
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Catherine 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Mercy 2
Minnie 2
Ruth 2
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Charity 1
Elenor 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Fanne 1
Fany 1
Flora 1
Helen 1
Jessy 1
Katherine 1
Katie 1
Leah 1
Letty 1
Lily 1
Louise 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 24
George 23
John 21
Thomas 15
Henry 12
Charles 7
James 6
David 5
Edwin 5
Frederick 5
Alfred 4
Amos 4
Walter 4
Abraham 3
Edmund 3
Edward 3
Jesse 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Chas. 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Wyndham 2
Ambrose 1
Caiyley 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Fred 1
Harvey 1
Herbert 1
Hy. 1
Jacob 1
Job 1
Joe 1
Leery 1
Leonard 1
Obed 1
Phillip 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Sinclair 1
Victor 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Howick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Howick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 395 people were recorded with the Howick surname. That placed it at #8,037 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Howick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 429 in 2016. That gives Howick a modern rank of #11,214.

What does the Howick surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the Northumberland village name Howick.

What does the Howick map show?

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