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

Howlett, 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 Howlett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Howlett in America

Howlett is the 6355th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Howlett surname appeared 5,364 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Howlett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Howlett 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 Howlett

The surname Howlett originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words 'hol' meaning hollow or hole, and 'geat' meaning gate or opening, referring to someone who lived near a valley or pass in a hill.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Holegate'. Over time, the name evolved into various forms such as Holet, Hollet, Hollette, and eventually Howlett.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Howlett, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272. Another early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, which mentions a Richard Howlett.

In the 15th century, the name was prominent in the county of Essex. John Howlett (1470-1543) was a notable figure from Saffron Walden, Essex, who served as a Member of Parliament and held various positions in the local government.

During the 16th century, the Howlett family had established themselves in the county of Suffolk. Sir William Howlett (1511-1592) was a wealthy landowner and high sheriff of Suffolk in 1584.

The name continued to be prevalent in various regions of England throughout the centuries. Notable bearers include Sir Thomas Howlett (1776-1853), an English naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars, and Henry Howlett (1830-1908), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London.

Other individuals of historical significance with the surname Howlett include Robert Howlett (1831-1858), an influential English photographer known for his pioneering work in the wetplate collodion process, and Alfred Hume Howlett (1829-1908), a British civil servant who served as the Colonial Secretary of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in the late 19th century.

While the name has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly due to migration and colonization. However, the majority of historical records and prominent individuals bearing the surname Howlett can be traced back to its English origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Howlett

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

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

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

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