NameCensus.

UK surname

Howson

An English locational surname referring to someone from Howsham in Yorkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 1,866 people recorded with the Howson surname, ranking it #2,336 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,797, ranked #2,414, down from #2,336 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lancaster Borough and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Lakeland, North Lincolnshire and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Howson is 2,963 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.9%.

1881 census count

1,866

Ranked #2,336

Modern count

2,797

2016, ranked #2,414

Peak year

2010

2,963 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Howson had 1,866 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,336 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,797 in 2016, ranked #2,414.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,634 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Howson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Howson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Howson 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 1,111 #2,535
1861 historical 1,227 #2,324
1881 historical 1,866 #2,336
1891 historical 2,075 #2,231
1901 historical 2,520 #2,177
1911 historical 2,634 #1,955
1997 modern 2,781 #2,315
1998 modern 2,883 #2,326
1999 modern 2,909 #2,325
2000 modern 2,896 #2,325
2001 modern 2,830 #2,320
2002 modern 2,906 #2,315
2003 modern 2,859 #2,298
2004 modern 2,861 #2,301
2005 modern 2,803 #2,319
2006 modern 2,808 #2,317
2007 modern 2,873 #2,285
2008 modern 2,884 #2,289
2009 modern 2,952 #2,297
2010 modern 2,963 #2,327
2011 modern 2,884 #2,355
2012 modern 2,886 #2,318
2013 modern 2,922 #2,325
2014 modern 2,908 #2,350
2015 modern 2,841 #2,384
2016 modern 2,797 #2,414

Geography

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Where Howsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lancaster Borough, Sheffield and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Lakeland, North Lincolnshire, Staffordshire Moorlands, County Durham and Tameside. 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 2
2 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Lakeland 013 South Lakeland
2 North Lincolnshire 011 North Lincolnshire
3 Staffordshire Moorlands 005 Staffordshire Moorlands
4 County Durham 066 County Durham
5 Tameside 011 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Howson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Howson

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

Howson is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Howson

The surname HOWSON has its roots in England, emerging during the medieval period around the 12th century. It is believed to have originated in the northern counties, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire. The name is thought to be a combination of two Old English words: "hol," meaning hollow or depression, and "sunu," meaning son, suggesting it was initially a descriptive name given to someone living near a hollow or valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the HOWSON name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1175, which mention a person named Adam Holsun. This spelling variation provides insight into the name's evolution over time.

The HOWSON surname also appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, an important historical record listing landowners and individuals who held positions of significance. This document includes references to individuals named John Holsone and William Holsone, further solidifying the name's presence in northern England during the Middle Ages.

During the 16th century, the HOWSON name gained prominence with the birth of Robert Howson (c. 1524-1585), an English bishop who served as the Bishop of Oxford and later the Bishop of Durham. His tenure as a Church of England clergyman and his involvement in ecclesiastical affairs left a lasting impact on the religious landscape of the time.

Another notable figure bearing the HOWSON name was John Howson (1556-1631), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Bishop of Durham from 1628 until his death. He was also the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge and played a significant role in the Church of England during the early 17th century.

In the realm of literature, John Howson (1557-1632), an English clergyman and scholar, is remembered for his contributions to theological works and his involvement in the translation of the King James Bible.

The HOWSON name can also be traced back to places like Howson Place, a historic location in Yorkshire, and Howson's Yard, a street in the city of Durham, both of which likely derived their names from individuals bearing the HOWSON surname in their respective regions.

While the HOWSON name has its roots in northern England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by migrations and the dispersal of families over the centuries. Despite its widespread distribution, the name's origins remain firmly rooted in the historical records and landscapes of medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Howson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Howson 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. Yorkshire leads with 612 Howsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.39x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 612 3.39x
Lancashire 478 2.21x
Staffordshire 94 1.53x
Middlesex 89 0.49x
Lincolnshire 88 3.02x
Cumberland 72 4.59x
Durham 63 1.16x
Surrey 56 0.63x
Westmorland 53 13.23x
Cheshire 39 0.97x
Buckinghamshire 35 3.18x
Huntingdonshire 31 8.57x
Berkshire 25 1.83x
Lanarkshire 22 0.37x
Oxfordshire 19 1.69x
Derbyshire 15 0.53x
Warwickshire 13 0.28x
Northumberland 10 0.37x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.41x
Gloucestershire 7 0.20x
Kent 7 0.11x
Norfolk 5 0.18x
Angus 4 0.24x
Ayrshire 4 0.29x
Brecknockshire 2 0.55x
Flintshire 2 0.41x
Leicestershire 2 0.10x
Bedfordshire 1 0.11x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.09x
Channel Islands 1 0.19x
Denbighshire 1 0.15x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Northamptonshire 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.46x
Shropshire 1 0.06x
Sussex 1 0.03x
Worcestershire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 120 Howsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.86x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 120 20.86x
Lancaster 54 41.97x
Sheffield 49 8.52x
Brightside Bierlow 37 10.45x
Nether Hallam 36 14.74x
Kippax 34 214.11x
Leeds 31 3.04x
Preston 30 5.19x
Ecclesall Bierlow 29 7.90x
Emberton 29 721.39x
Methley 28 110.15x
St Pancras London 28 1.91x
Bradfield 25 35.91x
Ingleton 25 246.06x
Islington London 21 1.19x
Ecclesfield 19 14.35x
Whitehaven 19 22.72x
Bentham 17 123.55x
Bowling 17 9.51x
Garforth 17 123.01x
Oxford St Thomas 17 32.37x
Tonge With Haulgh 17 40.39x
Waterfall 16 617.76x
Bluntisham 15 221.24x
Bradford 15 3.43x
Derby St Werburgh 15 9.11x
Langcliffe 14 324.07x
Livesey 14 36.89x
South Ferriby 14 303.69x
Tottington Lower End 14 13.63x
Clayton Le Moors 13 30.99x
Gateshead 13 3.20x
Heeley 13 23.69x
Little Bolton 13 4.68x
Grindon 12 528.63x
Newton 12 7.20x
Skelton 12 264.90x
Stockton On Tees 12 4.59x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 1.84x
Barrow On Humber 11 65.05x
Kirkby Lonsdale 11 101.57x
Lotherton Cum Aberford 11 398.55x
Newton In Ashton Under 11 27.71x
Wath On Dearne 11 30.53x
Barwick In Elmet 10 72.31x
Dalziel 10 15.77x
Glanford Brigg 10 96.15x
Layton With Warbreck 10 12.60x
Poulton Barre 10 40.65x
Rotherhithe 10 4.44x
Swillington 10 194.93x
Buckland 9 199.56x
Carshalton 9 26.49x
Lower Allithwaite 9 173.75x
Morley 9 9.59x
Newington 9 1.34x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 9 61.43x
Penrith 9 15.53x
Seaton 9 49.18x
Tatham 9 270.27x
Askham 8 250.00x
Aston 8 0.63x
Barrow In Furness 8 2.72x
Barton St Mary 8 54.76x
Bolton In Bradford 8 69.08x
Calton 8 529.80x
Goxhill 8 111.42x
Huntingdon St Mary 8 88.40x
Lowther 8 273.04x
Manningham 8 3.60x
Sawtry All Sts 8 188.68x
Skipton 8 14.08x
Tudhoe 8 16.87x
Wentworth 8 71.56x
Horninglow 7 24.16x
Natland 7 391.06x
New Monkland 7 4.02x
Oswaldtwistle 7 9.16x
Shellingford 7 434.78x
Wortley In Bramley 7 4.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 113
Elizabeth 78
Sarah 55
Margaret 42
Ellen 37
Ann 33
Jane 33
Alice 32
Hannah 25
Annie 22
Emily 21
Emma 21
Eliza 19
Isabella 19
Kate 13
Ada 12
Catherine 12
Charlotte 12
Harriet 12
Agnes 11
Martha 11
Edith 10
Maria 9
Louisa 8
Clara 7
Florence 7
Grace 7
Caroline 6
Elizth. 6
Frances 6
Susannah 6
Amy 5
Betsy 5
Esther 5
Fanny 5
Helen 5
Anne 4
Eleanor 4
Ethel 4
Lizzie 4
Lucy 4
Nancy 4
Rhoda 4
Rose 4
Susan 4
Betty 3
Earby 3
Elenor 3
Henrietta 3
Matilda 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 129
William 116
Thomas 83
George 57
James 48
Joseph 37
Robert 37
Charles 36
Henry 23
Edward 21
Richard 21
Alfred 17
Arthur 15
Walter 15
Francis 11
Anthony 10
Samuel 9
Benjamin 8
Albert 7
Harry 7
Herbert 7
Tom 7
Edwin 6
Isaac 6
Thos. 6
Frederick 5
Andrew 4
Christopher 4
Ernest 4
Frank 4
Fred 4
Wm. 4
David 3
Harold 3
Jno. 3
Joel 3
Joshua 3
Matthew 3
Moses 3
Peter 3
Augustus 2
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Ebenezer 2
Fredrick 2
Leonard 2
Martin 2
Ralph 2
Robt. 2
Seth 2

FAQ

Howson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Howson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,866 people were recorded with the Howson surname. That placed it at #2,336 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Howson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,797 in 2016. That gives Howson a modern rank of #2,414.

What does the Howson surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to someone from Howsham in Yorkshire.

What does the Howson map show?

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