NameCensus.

UK surname

Howman

A variant of the occupational surname Holman, referring to a person who dwelled in or near a small hollow.

In the 1881 census there were 157 people recorded with the Howman surname, ranking it #15,046 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 393, ranked #12,032, up from #15,046 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Howman is 428 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 150.3%.

1881 census count

157

Ranked #15,046

Modern count

393

2016, ranked #12,032

Peak year

1999

428 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Howman had 157 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,046 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 393 in 2016, ranked #12,032.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 285 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Howman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Howman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Howman 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 152 #12,786
1861 historical 246 #10,010
1881 historical 157 #15,046
1891 historical 242 #13,048
1901 historical 239 #13,489
1911 historical 285 #11,837
1997 modern 409 #10,818
1998 modern 421 #10,954
1999 modern 428 #10,898
2000 modern 415 #11,109
2001 modern 404 #11,142
2002 modern 417 #11,104
2003 modern 391 #11,441
2004 modern 402 #11,244
2005 modern 391 #11,378
2006 modern 393 #11,398
2007 modern 387 #11,652
2008 modern 390 #11,693
2009 modern 398 #11,768
2010 modern 407 #11,824
2011 modern 391 #12,062
2012 modern 393 #11,874
2013 modern 402 #11,871
2014 modern 407 #11,848
2015 modern 403 #11,835
2016 modern 393 #12,032

Geography

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Where Howmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early),, Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
2 Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), Berkshire
3 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk
4 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 019 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Cheshire West and Chester 012 Cheshire West and Chester
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 012 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 Cheshire West and Chester 018 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Cheshire West and Chester 021 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Howman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Howman

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

Howman 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

Howman falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Howman

The surname HOWMAN is of English origin, first recorded in the late 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "hol" meaning "hollow" or "hole" and "mann" meaning "man", likely referring to someone who lived near a hollow or depression in the landscape.

The earliest recorded instance of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, listing a John Holman. Similar spellings from that era include Hollman, Howlman, and Holyman. The name is also found in various tax records and parish registers across southern England during the 14th and 15th centuries.

In the 16th century, records show the HOWMAN name concentrated in the counties of Somerset, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire. One notable bearer was William Howman (c.1520-1583), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain John Howman (c.1610-1676) served in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He later became a respected landowner in Somerset.

The HOWMAN name also has connections to various place names, such as Holman's Moor in Somerset and Holman's Farm in Wiltshire, both likely derived from early bearers of the surname.

Other notable individuals with the HOWMAN surname include:

1. Thomas Howman (1776-1845), an English artist known for his landscapes and portraits. 2. Robert Howman (1820-1897), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London. 3. Reverend John Howman (1845-1923), an influential clergyman and educator in Yorkshire. 4. Mary Howman (1861-1936), an English author and activist for women's rights. 5. William Howman (1879-1952), a pioneering aviator and one of the first pilots in the Royal Air Force.

The HOWMAN surname has persisted through the centuries, with various spelling variations reflecting its English origins and geographic distribution across southern and central regions of the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Howman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Howman 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 43 Howmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.26x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 43 18.26x
Shropshire 20 15.12x
Gloucestershire 17 5.66x
Warwickshire 13 3.37x
Berkshire 12 10.44x
Lancashire 10 0.55x
Cheshire 7 2.07x
Lincolnshire 7 2.86x
Middlesex 7 0.46x
Bedfordshire 4 5.04x
Staffordshire 4 0.77x
Yorkshire 3 0.20x
Fife 2 2.21x
Surrey 2 0.27x
Worcestershire 2 1.00x
Derbyshire 1 0.42x
Hertfordshire 1 0.95x
Oxfordshire 1 1.06x
Rutland 1 8.90x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stow On The Wold in Gloucestershire leads with 13 Howmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1940.30x.

Place Total Index
Stow On The Wold 13 1940.30x
Reading St Giles 12 106.38x
Norwich St Mary At Coslany 11 1641.79x
Tong 9 3333.33x
Great Ryburgh 8 2222.22x
Heigham 8 63.29x
Gedney 7 700.00x
Monks Coppenhall 7 54.86x
Edgbaston 6 50.13x
Kingsbury 6 722.89x
Lakenham 6 179.10x
Little Bolton 6 25.68x
Great Bolton 4 16.62x
Harrow 4 170.94x
Heath Reach 4 714.29x
Norwich St Giles 4 533.33x
West Bromwich 4 13.52x
Horsforth 3 90.09x
Much Wenlock 3 245.90x
Preston Gubbals 3 1363.64x
Baschurch 2 219.78x
Chipping Campden 2 204.08x
Cromer 2 238.10x
Cupar 2 50.76x
Middle 2 555.56x
Whitlingham 2 5000.00x
Broadwell 1 476.19x
Fakenham 1 86.21x
Glossop Dale 1 8.90x
Hertford St John 1 63.69x
Houghton In Hole 1 1111.11x
Lambeth 1 0.75x
Maugersbury 1 344.83x
Northfield 1 26.39x
Oldbury 1 10.16x
Oxford St Mary Magdalen 1 89.29x
Preston On Wild Moors 1 833.33x
St George Bloomsbury 1 11.38x
Uppingham 1 74.63x
Wellesbourne Hastings 1 270.27x
Westminster St James 1 6.35x
Westminster St Margaret 1 13.53x
Wimbledon 1 11.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 7
Emma 5
Louisa 5
Harriet 4
Sarah 4
Eliza 3
Ada 2
Ann 2
Charlotte 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Leah 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Dorcas 1
Dorothea 1
Eleanor 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Gilian 1
Hester 1
Janet 1
Julia 1
Letitia 1
Lyddia 1
Marian 1
Marieanne 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Rachael 1
Rosa 1
Rosina 1
Susan 1
Temperance 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Howman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Howman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 157 people were recorded with the Howman surname. That placed it at #15,046 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Howman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 393 in 2016. That gives Howman a modern rank of #12,032.

What does the Howman surname mean?

A variant of the occupational surname Holman, referring to a person who dwelled in or near a small hollow.

What does the Howman map show?

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