NameCensus.

UK surname

Howlett

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "owl wood" or "owl glade."

In the 1881 census there were 4,009 people recorded with the Howlett surname, ranking it #1,128 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,832, ranked #1,151, down from #1,128 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Woolpit and Thame. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney, Tendring and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Howlett is 6,486 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.5%.

1881 census count

4,009

Ranked #1,128

Modern count

5,832

2016, ranked #1,151

Peak year

1999

6,486 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Howlett had 4,009 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,128 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,832 in 2016, ranked #1,151.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,979 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Howlett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Howlett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Howlett 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 2,359 #1,264
1861 historical 2,227 #1,323
1881 historical 4,009 #1,128
1891 historical 4,493 #1,047
1901 historical 5,395 #1,038
1911 historical 5,979 #867
1997 modern 6,185 #1,060
1998 modern 6,459 #1,058
1999 modern 6,486 #1,059
2000 modern 6,393 #1,068
2001 modern 6,282 #1,064
2002 modern 6,351 #1,077
2003 modern 6,122 #1,090
2004 modern 6,087 #1,093
2005 modern 5,906 #1,103
2006 modern 5,843 #1,119
2007 modern 5,846 #1,128
2008 modern 5,835 #1,135
2009 modern 5,998 #1,130
2010 modern 6,132 #1,130
2011 modern 5,957 #1,144
2012 modern 5,826 #1,139
2013 modern 5,919 #1,143
2014 modern 5,930 #1,151
2015 modern 5,871 #1,150
2016 modern 5,832 #1,151

Geography

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Where Howletts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Woolpit, Thame and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waveney, Tendring and Fenland. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Woolpit Suffolk
4 Thame Oxfordshire
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 010 Waveney
2 Tendring 001 Tendring
3 Fenland 003 Fenland
4 Fenland 001 Fenland
5 Fenland 002 Fenland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Howlett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Howlett

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Howlett is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Howlett 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

Howlett falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Howlett 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 Howlett, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Howlett

The surname Howlett originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words 'hol' meaning hollow or hole, and 'geat' meaning gate or opening, referring to someone who lived near a valley or pass in a hill.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Holegate'. Over time, the name evolved into various forms such as Holet, Hollet, Hollette, and eventually Howlett.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Howlett, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272. Another early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, which mentions a Richard Howlett.

In the 15th century, the name was prominent in the county of Essex. John Howlett (1470-1543) was a notable figure from Saffron Walden, Essex, who served as a Member of Parliament and held various positions in the local government.

During the 16th century, the Howlett family had established themselves in the county of Suffolk. Sir William Howlett (1511-1592) was a wealthy landowner and high sheriff of Suffolk in 1584.

The name continued to be prevalent in various regions of England throughout the centuries. Notable bearers include Sir Thomas Howlett (1776-1853), an English naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars, and Henry Howlett (1830-1908), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London.

Other individuals of historical significance with the surname Howlett include Robert Howlett (1831-1858), an influential English photographer known for his pioneering work in the wetplate collodion process, and Alfred Hume Howlett (1829-1908), a British civil servant who served as the Colonial Secretary of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in the late 19th century.

While the name has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly due to migration and colonization. However, the majority of historical records and prominent individuals bearing the surname Howlett can be traced back to its English origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Howlett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Howlett 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. Norfolk leads with 866 Howletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.38x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 866 14.38x
Middlesex 590 1.51x
Suffolk 588 12.32x
Surrey 206 1.08x
Kent 194 1.45x
Yorkshire 190 0.49x
Essex 159 2.06x
Cambridgeshire 127 5.12x
Lincolnshire 110 1.76x
Staffordshire 109 0.82x
Lancashire 97 0.21x
Warwickshire 91 0.92x
Hertfordshire 77 2.85x
Durham 75 0.64x
Buckinghamshire 74 3.12x
Oxfordshire 64 2.65x
Northamptonshire 58 1.57x
Hampshire 44 0.55x
Leicestershire 37 0.85x
Gloucestershire 34 0.44x
Nottinghamshire 28 0.53x
Bedfordshire 23 1.13x
Berkshire 23 0.78x
Sussex 22 0.33x
Huntingdonshire 16 2.06x
Cheshire 14 0.16x
Northumberland 13 0.22x
Channel Islands 12 1.03x
Cumberland 12 0.36x
Monmouthshire 9 0.32x
Wiltshire 8 0.23x
Dorset 6 0.23x
Worcestershire 6 0.12x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.32x
Devon 5 0.06x
Derbyshire 4 0.07x
Herefordshire 3 0.19x
Shropshire 3 0.09x
Denbighshire 2 0.14x
Glamorgan 2 0.03x
Midlothian 2 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.16x
Royal Navy 2 0.43x
Somerset 2 0.03x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
Flintshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 66 Howletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.23x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 66 13.23x
Mile End Old Town London 62 7.44x
Stoke Upon Trent 60 4.28x
Deptford St Paul 47 4.56x
Islington London 45 1.19x
Bermondsey 42 3.60x
Camberwell 42 1.68x
Hackney London 42 1.91x
Thame 42 95.45x
West Ham 42 2.46x
St Marylebone London 41 1.96x
St Pancras London 38 1.21x
Lambeth 37 1.08x
Heigham 33 10.21x
Westhall 32 553.63x
Kensington London 30 1.38x
Lowestoft 30 13.31x
Woolpit 30 216.29x
St Andrewthe Less 29 10.23x
Tring 29 40.23x
Birmingham 28 0.85x
Bromley London 28 3.25x
Ipswich St Margaret 28 17.29x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 27 14.93x
Aston 26 0.96x
Liverpool 26 0.92x
Watton 26 137.42x
Alverstoke 25 8.60x
Chelsea London 25 2.12x
South Elmham St Peter 25 2427.18x
St George Hanover Square 25 3.62x
Wymondham 25 40.59x
Bethnal Green London 23 1.35x
Cheadle 23 36.21x
Lakenham 23 26.88x
Paddington London 23 1.60x
Greenwich 22 3.53x
Snettisham 22 131.89x
Holy Trinity 21 2.25x
Newmarket St Mary 21 57.35x
Great Grimsby 20 5.03x
Mistley 20 96.29x
Sculcoates 20 3.25x
Clerkenwell London 19 2.05x
Grundisburgh 19 172.10x
Hilgay 18 79.47x
Poplar London 18 2.43x
Scarborough 18 5.10x
St Giles Cambridge 18 56.16x
Stone 17 92.44x
Toxteth Park 17 1.08x
Battersea 16 1.11x
Brantham 16 294.66x
Brixworth 16 101.52x
East Dereham 16 21.03x
Exning 16 66.45x
Carleton Rode 15 144.09x
Dickleburgh 15 134.89x
Eaton Bray 15 73.24x
Gorleston 15 12.37x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 15 99.27x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 14 15.63x
Hammersmith London 14 1.45x
Hetton Le Hole 14 9.48x
Northampton St Sepulchre 14 7.47x
Shadwell London 14 12.77x
Wereham 14 169.70x
Wreningham 14 214.07x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 13 1.80x
Bury St Edmunds St James 13 10.20x
Cheltenham 13 2.19x
Gainsborough 13 8.80x
Hapton 13 498.08x
Lewisham 13 1.82x
North Walsham 13 29.93x
Shoreditch London 13 0.77x
Woolwich 13 2.63x
Loddon 12 77.47x
Newington 12 0.83x
Wissett 12 227.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 251
Sarah 142
Elizabeth 133
Alice 82
Emma 70
Ann 69
Eliza 69
Ellen 63
Jane 57
Emily 51
Annie 50
Hannah 44
Louisa 39
Harriet 34
Maria 34
Charlotte 30
Florence 29
Caroline 28
Martha 27
Fanny 25
Frances 24
Edith 23
Harriett 21
Rebecca 21
Susan 19
Agnes 18
Anna 17
Catherine 17
Kate 16
Margaret 16
Susannah 16
Clara 15
Laura 15
Rose 15
Ada 14
Julia 14
Lucy 14
Sophia 13
Matilda 12
Lydia 11
Susanna 11
Anne 10
Esther 10
Ethel 10
Minnie 9
Gertrude 8
Henrietta 8
Amelia 7
Grace 7
Lizzie 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 234
John 208
George 158
James 120
Thomas 104
Robert 95
Charles 93
Henry 91
Arthur 67
Frederick 54
Alfred 49
Edward 47
Samuel 40
Walter 35
Harry 34
Joseph 34
Albert 31
Benjamin 25
Ernest 20
Herbert 19
David 18
Horace 17
Richard 14
Francis 11
Frank 10
Daniel 9
Edwin 9
Wm. 9
Fredk. 7
Elijah 6
Geo. 6
Isaac 6
Michael 6
Thos. 6
Fred 5
Horatio 5
Jabez 5
Philip 5
Amos 4
Elisha 4
H. 4
Hezekiah 4
Jacob 4
Jesse 4
Jonathan 4
Stephen 4
Ellis 3
Jno. 3
Joshua 3
Leonard 3

FAQ

Howlett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Howlett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,009 people were recorded with the Howlett surname. That placed it at #1,128 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Howlett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,832 in 2016. That gives Howlett a modern rank of #1,151.

What does the Howlett surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "owl wood" or "owl glade."

What does the Howlett map show?

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