Find out how popular the last name Howell is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Howell.

Howell, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Howell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Howell in America

Howell is the 272nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Howell surname appeared 112,041 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 38 people would have the surname Howell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Howell to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Howell

The surname Howell originates from Wales, deriving from the Old English words "hol" meaning "hollow" or "hole" and "well" meaning "spring" or "stream." This combination suggests the name initially referred to someone who lived near a stream or spring in a hollow or valley. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was Howel, found in the ancient Welsh Chronicles from around the 11th century.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a census record commissioned by William the Conqueror, the name is listed as Howel and Howelle among landowners in various counties of England, indicating the name had already spread from its Welsh origins. By the 13th century, various spellings like Howell, Howelle, and Howel appeared in records across England and Wales.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the Howell surname was Sir John Howell, a Welsh soldier and diplomat born around 1350. He served under King Edward III and later became the Standard Bearer of England during the reign of Richard II. Another notable figure was Thomas Howell (1588-1646), a Welsh Member of Parliament and one of the judges who presided over the trial of King Charles I during the English Civil War.

In the 16th century, the name Howell was particularly prevalent in the Welsh counties of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, and Glamorganshire, where several Howell families held lands and estates. James Howell (1594-1666), a renowned writer and historian from Carmarthen, published a famous collection of letters and travel narratives during this period.

The name also has connections to various place names in Wales, such as Howell's Cross in Pembrokeshire and Howell's Hill in Monmouthshire, which likely derived from the surname. In the 18th century, Francis Howell (1625-1679), a Welsh lawyer and landowner, served as the High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire and is remembered for his influential role in local politics.

Throughout history, the Howell surname has been associated with several notable individuals, including the American explorer and frontiersman David Howell (1747-1828), who played a significant role in the exploration and settlement of the American West. Additionally, the British Romantic poet Thomas Howell (1768-1844) gained recognition for his works celebrating nature and rural life.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Howell

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Howell.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Howell was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Howell has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Howell was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Howell, please contact us.

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