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

Hower, 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 Hower surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hower in America

Hower is the 10548th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hower surname appeared 3,039 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Hower.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hower 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 Hower

The surname Hower is believed to have originated in Germany, where it was initially spelled as "Hauer" or "Hauier." The name is derived from the Old High German word "houwan," which means "to hew" or "to cut." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name were likely involved in professions such as woodcutting or stonecutting.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a compilation of medieval documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. In this document, a man named "Henricus Hauer" is mentioned as a witness in a land transaction.

As the name spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, including "Hower," "Hauer," and "Hauwer." These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the name.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing this surname was Johannes Hower (1516-1580), a German Protestant theologian and reformer. He was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation and authored several influential theological works.

Another historical figure with the surname Hower was Johann Hauer (1625-1690), a German baroque composer and organist. He served as the organist at the Frauenkirche in Dresden and composed numerous works for organ and other instruments.

In the 18th century, the name appeared in various records from the United States, indicating that individuals with this surname had emigrated from Germany to the American colonies. One such example is John Hower (1740-1810), a Revolutionary War soldier who fought in the Battle of Monmouth.

During the 19th century, the name was found in various regions of Europe and North America. One notable figure was Wilhelm Hauer (1881-1962), a German Indologist and scholar of Hindu and Buddhist studies. He made significant contributions to the study of Eastern religions and philosophies.

Another individual with the surname Hower was Walter Hower (1892-1981), an American artist and illustrator known for his works depicting the American West and Native American cultures.

Throughout its history, the surname Hower has maintained its connection to its German origins and the occupations associated with cutting or hewing materials. While the name has undergone various spelling variations over time, its core meaning has remained relatively consistent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hower

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

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 Hower 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 Hower 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 Hower was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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