NameCensus.

UK surname

Howieson

Son of the scout.

In the 1881 census there were 375 people recorded with the Howieson surname, ranking it #8,345 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 567, ranked #9,065, down from #8,345 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Hawick and Wilton and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Marchmont East and Sciennes, Mansfield and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Howieson is 581 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.2%.

1881 census count

375

Ranked #8,345

Modern count

567

2016, ranked #9,065

Peak year

2014

581 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Howieson had 375 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,345 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 567 in 2016, ranked #9,065.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 575 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Howieson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Howieson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Howieson 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 162 #12,215
1861 historical 206 #11,725
1881 historical 375 #8,345
1891 historical 461 #7,937
1901 historical 575 #7,300
1911 historical 28 #30,296
1997 modern 524 #8,989
1998 modern 548 #8,960
1999 modern 547 #9,024
2000 modern 547 #8,990
2001 modern 521 #9,174
2002 modern 540 #9,103
2003 modern 505 #9,419
2004 modern 526 #9,167
2005 modern 528 #9,081
2006 modern 519 #9,223
2007 modern 530 #9,144
2008 modern 543 #9,060
2009 modern 566 #8,969
2010 modern 580 #8,999
2011 modern 551 #9,251
2012 modern 566 #8,981
2013 modern 563 #9,151
2014 modern 581 #9,006
2015 modern 571 #9,045
2016 modern 567 #9,065

Geography

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Where Howiesons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Hawick and Wilton, Govan Combination, Dollar and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Marchmont East and Sciennes, Mansfield, Babergh, Tweeddale West Area and Forth, Braehead and Auchengray. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Dollar Clackmannan
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Marchmont East and Sciennes City of Edinburgh
2 Mansfield 008 Mansfield
3 Babergh 001 Babergh
4 Tweeddale West Area Scottish Borders
5 Forth, Braehead and Auchengray South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Howieson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Howieson

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Howieson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Howieson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Howieson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Howieson 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

Howieson falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Howieson

The surname HOWIESON is of Scottish origin, derived from the medieval given name Howie, which was a diminutive of Hugh. The name Howie emerged as a surname in the late 16th century in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the counties of Berwick, Roxburgh, and Dumfries.

The earliest recorded spelling of the surname HOWIESON dates back to 1597 in the Parish Records of Kelso, Roxburghshire, where one John Howieson was mentioned. In 1611, the surname appeared as Howiesone in the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland.

HOWIESON is believed to be derived from the Old French personal name Hugon, which in turn came from the Germanic name Hugo, meaning "bright in mind and spirit." The name gained popularity in Scotland due to the influence of French and Norman cultures during the Middle Ages.

In the 17th century, several HOWIESON families were recorded in the Scottish counties of Berwick, Roxburgh, and Dumfries. One notable early bearer of the name was Robert Howieson, a merchant and burgess of Edinburgh, who was mentioned in the Burgh Records of Edinburgh in 1634.

The HOWIESON surname has been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Howieson's Close in Edinburgh, which was named after a wealthy family of the same name who resided there in the 17th century.

Among the notable individuals with the surname HOWIESON throughout history are:

1. James Howieson (1762-1846), a Scottish architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Calton Jail.

2. William Howieson (1804-1887), a Scottish landscape painter known for his depictions of Scottish scenery.

3. Robert Howieson Riddell (1808-1906), a Scottish landowner and Member of Parliament for Caithness from 1852 to 1857.

4. William Howieson (1901-1984), a Scottish footballer who played as a forward for Rangers F.C. in the 1920s.

5. John Howieson (born 1957), a Scottish athlete and former sprinter who won a bronze medal in the 4x100 meters relay at the 1986 Commonwealth Games.

While the surname HOWIESON is not among the most common in Scotland, it has a long and rich history, with its origins dating back to the late 16th century and its bearers having made significant contributions in various fields over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Howieson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Howieson 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 133 Howiesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.39x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 133 11.39x
Midlothian 51 10.55x
Clackmannanshire 47 157.67x
Fife 31 14.51x
Stirlingshire 26 19.53x
Roxburghshire 22 33.65x
Morayshire 10 17.83x
Renfrewshire 9 3.22x
Surrey 9 0.51x
Kinross-shire 6 65.79x
Peeblesshire 5 29.45x
Perthshire 4 2.47x
Cumberland 3 0.97x
East Lothian 3 6.28x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.60x
Ayrshire 2 0.74x
Northamptonshire 2 0.59x
Selkirkshire 2 6.13x
Angus 1 0.30x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.03x
Inverness-shire 1 0.93x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 25 Howiesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.06x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 25 12.06x
Govan 25 8.66x
Dollar 21 679.61x
Barony 19 6.43x
New Monkland 19 55.07x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 17 8.74x
Dunfermline 14 42.62x
Alloa 13 89.97x
Tillicoultry 13 196.08x
Carnock 12 916.03x
West Calder 12 125.92x
Biggar 11 416.67x
Knockando 10 438.60x
Camberwell 9 3.90x
Alva 8 125.98x
Duddingston 8 82.39x
Larbert 8 100.50x
Wilton 7 97.63x
Bothwell 6 18.96x
Hawick 6 41.01x
Orwell 6 238.10x
Shotts 6 42.95x
Symington 6 1052.63x
Bothkennar 5 125.94x
Makerston 5 1063.83x
Shettleston 5 47.85x
Cambusnethan 4 15.43x
Edinburgh Trinity 4 256.41x
Jedburgh 4 62.40x
West Greenock 4 7.97x
Abbey 3 7.03x
Dalziel 3 23.89x
Heriot 3 566.04x
Newlands 3 297.03x
Crick 2 173.91x
Edinburgh Greenside 2 31.30x
Haddington 2 28.33x
Kirkcaldy 2 18.87x
Polmont 2 40.73x
Stanwix 2 79.37x
Stirling 2 11.92x
Alyth 1 22.94x
Auchtergaven 1 36.76x
Beath 1 14.81x
Caldewgate 1 5.87x
Cameron 1 80.65x
Carnwath 1 13.85x
Corstorphine 1 37.45x
Crieff 1 16.61x
Culter 1 140.85x
Currie 1 33.78x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 9.97x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 10.64x
Forfar 1 5.52x
Forgandenny 1 129.87x
Fraserburgh 1 10.63x
Galashiels 1 8.29x
Gladsmuir 1 46.95x
Inveresk 1 7.64x
Kilbarchan 1 11.76x
Kippen 1 55.87x
Largs 1 15.72x
Lesmahagow 1 8.10x
Middle Greenock 1 13.11x
Monkton Prestwick 1 38.02x
Peebles 1 19.92x
Rathen 1 28.57x
Roseneath 1 53.76x
Saline 1 84.75x
Selkirk 1 10.87x
Skirling 1 294.12x
Stonehouse 1 25.25x
Strath 1 30.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Ellen 1
Henrietta 1
Kate 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Fredk. 1
Percy 1

FAQ

Howieson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Howieson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 375 people were recorded with the Howieson surname. That placed it at #8,345 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Howieson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 567 in 2016. That gives Howieson a modern rank of #9,065.

What does the Howieson surname mean?

Son of the scout.

What does the Howieson map show?

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