The name Howard has its origins in the Old English language, derived from the words "hog" and "weard," meaning "hog keeper" or "pig keeper." It traces back to the early medieval period, around the 5th to 11th centuries, when many occupational surnames emerged in England.

The earliest recorded use of Howard as a given name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholders in England and parts of Wales commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Howard was Howard of Norfolk, an English nobleman who lived from around 1050 to 1107. He played a significant role in the Norman conquest of England and was granted extensive lands by William the Conqueror.

Another historical figure bearing the name was Howard the Monk, a 12th-century English chronicler and monk of the Benedictine order, who wrote a detailed account of the Battle of the Standard in 1138.

In the 16th century, the Howard family rose to prominence in England, producing several notable figures, including Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk (1473-1554), a prominent statesman and military commander during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI.

Howard Pyle (1853-1911) was an American author and illustrator, best known for his works on chivalric themes, such as "The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood" and "The Story of King Arthur and His Knights."

Howard Carter (1874-1939) was a British archaeologist who gained international fame for discovering the intact tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings in 1922, one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.