NameCensus.

UK surname

Howl

A surname derived from the Middle English word "howl," meaning a hillock or small hill.

In the 1881 census there were 262 people recorded with the Howl surname, ranking it #10,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 249, ranked #16,847, down from #10,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Tipton otherwise Tibington and Darlaston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton, Wycombe and South Staffordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Howl is 306 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 5.0%.

1881 census count

262

Ranked #10,721

Modern count

249

2016, ranked #16,847

Peak year

1911

306 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Howl had 262 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016, ranked #16,847.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 306 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Howl surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Howl surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Howl 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 170 #11,780
1861 historical 229 #10,660
1881 historical 262 #10,721
1891 historical 253 #12,645
1901 historical 266 #12,617
1911 historical 306 #11,281
1997 modern 283 #14,037
1998 modern 285 #14,351
1999 modern 270 #14,992
2000 modern 266 #15,096
2001 modern 265 #14,915
2002 modern 266 #15,156
2003 modern 268 #14,897
2004 modern 269 #14,955
2005 modern 255 #15,437
2006 modern 245 #15,956
2007 modern 244 #16,186
2008 modern 242 #16,432
2009 modern 251 #16,368
2010 modern 254 #16,604
2011 modern 245 #16,874
2012 modern 250 #16,523
2013 modern 251 #16,734
2014 modern 251 #16,865
2015 modern 251 #16,756
2016 modern 249 #16,847

Geography

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Where Howls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Tipton otherwise Tibington, Darlaston, Wednesbury and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wolverhampton, Wycombe, South Staffordshire and Stratford-on-Avon. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
3 Darlaston Staffordshire
4 Wednesbury Staffordshire
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wolverhampton 005 Wolverhampton
2 Wolverhampton 015 Wolverhampton
3 Wycombe 004 Wycombe
4 South Staffordshire 014 South Staffordshire
5 Stratford-on-Avon 006 Stratford-on-Avon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Howl

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Howl

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Howl surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Howl household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Howl is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Howl 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

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

Meaning and origin of Howl

The surname HOWL is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "howl," which refers to the howling sound made by wolves or other animals. This surname was likely given as a nickname to someone who had a particularly loud or distinctive voice, or perhaps even to someone who lived in an area known for its howling winds.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HOWL can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where a man named Richard Howl is mentioned. This document, also known as the Rotuli Hundredorum, was a survey of landowners in England conducted during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the surname HOWL appeared in various forms, such as Howel, Howle, and Houl, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation of the time. One notable individual from this period was John Howl, who was recorded as a landowner in the village of Stoke Climsland, Cornwall, in 1327.

During the 15th century, the surname HOWL continued to be found in various parts of England, with records indicating its presence in counties such as Devon, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. One prominent figure from this era was William Howl, a merchant who lived in the city of Bristol in the late 1400s.

In the 16th century, the surname HOWL became more widespread, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was Thomas Howl, a clergyman who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Ipswich, Suffolk, from 1537 to 1558.

The 17th century saw the emergence of the Howl family in the county of Shropshire. One of the most prominent members of this family was Edward Howl, who was born in 1625 and served as a member of the English Parliament during the Commonwealth period.

As the centuries progressed, the surname HOWL continued to be found throughout various regions of England, with individuals bearing this name making their mark in various fields, including the military, politics, and academia. Notable examples from later periods include Captain John Howl (1745-1815), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War, and Sir Henry Howl (1817-1891), a renowned English historian and scholar.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Howl families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Howl 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. Staffordshire leads with 157 Howls recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.38x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 157 19.38x
Warwickshire 24 3.97x
Surrey 14 1.20x
Gloucestershire 13 2.76x
Lancashire 10 0.35x
Worcestershire 10 3.19x
Kent 5 0.61x
Middlesex 5 0.21x
Devon 2 0.40x
Renfrewshire 2 1.08x
Royal Navy 2 6.99x
Derbyshire 1 0.27x
Essex 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Bromwich in Staffordshire leads with 36 Howls recorded in 1881 and an index of 77.64x.

Place Total Index
West Bromwich 36 77.64x
Walsall Foreign 27 64.53x
Wolverhampton 20 32.11x
Tipton 18 72.58x
Darlaston 17 151.92x
Wednesbury 15 74.11x
Birmingham 13 6.45x
Frankton 11 6111.11x
Newington 9 10.15x
South Hamlet 8 274.91x
Wednesfield 8 67.11x
Sedgley 7 23.26x
Warrington 7 20.73x
Mathon 5 543.48x
Westbury On Trym 5 31.37x
Claines 4 46.51x
Ruckinge 4 1212.12x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 4.66x
Everton 3 3.31x
Lambeth 3 1.43x
St Pancras London 3 1.55x
Abbey 2 7.05x
Cannock 2 14.15x
Harborne 2 7.70x
Mile End Old Town London 2 3.92x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 5.20x
Royal Navy 2 8.18x
Chertsey 1 13.23x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.58x
Derby St Peter 1 8.35x
Oldbury 1 6.49x
South Shoebury 1 52.63x
Streatham 1 5.62x
Willenhall 1 6.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 13
Sarah 11
Alice 6
Emma 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Betsy 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Hannah 3
Jane 3
Maria 3
Agnes 2
Eliza 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Keturah 2
Lizzie 2
Nancy 2
Phebe 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Carline 1
Carolina 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlett 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Floranel 1
Gertrude 1
Giorgencia 1
Hester 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Marinda 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
May 1
Minnie 1
Sushanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 19
Thomas 13
Joseph 6
Alfred 5
George 5
Henry 4
Samuel 4
Arthur 3
Noah 3
Wm. 3
Edward 2
Harry 2
James 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Authur 1
Charles 1
Charley 1
Edmund 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred.R.J. 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Hary 1
Herbert 1
Jabez 1
Japhette 1
Jim 1
Josh 1
Josiah 1
Levi 1
Moses 1
Oliver 1
Reynald 1
Richard 1
Stanley 1
Sydney 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Howl surname: questions and answers

How common was the Howl surname in 1881?

In 1881, 262 people were recorded with the Howl surname. That placed it at #10,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Howl surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016. That gives Howl a modern rank of #16,847.

What does the Howl surname mean?

A surname derived from the Middle English word "howl," meaning a hillock or small hill.

What does the Howl map show?

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