HOWIE
The surname Howie is of both French and Scottish origin, and it is rooted in Celtic tradition. In the British Isles the name appears in Scotland where it is associated with Gaelic culture, Christian communities and the broader Celtic linguistic heritage.
Its earliest linguistic derivation is linked to the personal name Hugh, which comes from the Old French Hugues. The meaning of Hugh is commonly cited as heart, mind or spirit, and the surname Howie is therefore best understood as a patronymic form, indicating the descendants of an ancestor named Hugh.
Historic records also show Howie and its spelling variant Howey as a locational surname. It derives from an estate known as “The lands of How” in Ayrshire, a property whose precise location has been lost to history. Linguistic analysis suggests a connection with the ancient British‑Strathclyde word hoh, which means a hollow or deep valley, a root that also produced the surnames How and Howe. The suffix ‑ie or ‑y is a diminutive element popular in Scotland and North‑of‑England, yielding the form Howie as “Little How.”
Early documentary evidence includes a John Howy who served the Earl of Cassilis in 1526; a Robert Howie who was Principal of Marischal College, Aberdeen, in 1590; and an Archibald Howey elected burgess of Glasgow in 1625. William Howye is recorded in the same year, 1526, serving as Sergeant at Arms of Brechin during the reign of King James V. John Howie (1736‑1793) is best known for composing the standard reference work The Scots Worthies in 1774. Some traditions relating to the Ayrshire Howies speak of descent from Flemish weavers who fled persecution in their homeland and adopted a local surname for their settlement.
The name also bears Old Norse influence; the element hǫv meaning low land or hill, together with the Old Scottish term hoo for a low hill, appears in a 1279 chronicle that records a messuage called “Ho” near Paislay. A family from the old kingdom of Strathclyde, possessing land named “Ho” in Ayrshire, is thought to have adopted the surname. Since the twelfth century the Howies are documented as a powerful clan of landowners who supported Scottish monarchs and fought bravely in the Wars of Independence, thereby establishing a legacy of loyalty and martial prowess.
In contemporary times the surname is most frequently encountered in Scotland, especially in Perth and Kinross, and in North‑East England around Newcastle. According to United States Census Bureau figures from 2018, there were 1,083 individuals bearing the name Howie; the largest concentrations within the United States are found in Nashville, Tennessee (155 bearers) and Houston, Texas (82 bearers). While the name remains uncommon nationally, its representation is expanding and it may become more prevalent in the future.
Variants of the surname include Howey, Howy, MacHowie, McHowie, MacHowy, McHowy, and McHugh. In Ireland the most common variation is McHugh, whereas in England a spelling such as MacHowy is sometimes preferred. These variants are found across the United Kingdom, and they also appear in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other English‑speaking countries, albeit with lower frequency.
Typical given names associated with the Howie surname
Male
- Alan
- Alexander
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Robert
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Anne
- Catherine
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Fiona
- Helen
- Janet
- Jean
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Howie in...
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There are approximately 5,065 people named Howie in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,861st most common surname in Britain. Around 78 in a million people in Britain are named Howie.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Howie
- Forbes Howie - RAF officer and businessman (1920 to 2000)
- Rhona Howie - Curler
- Scott Howie - Scottish football player
- Al Howie - Canadian marathon runner (1945 to 2016)
- John Mackintosh Howie - Mathematician (1936 to 2011)
- James Howie - Scottish football player and manager (1878 to 1963)
- Thomas W. Howie - Scottish businessman (1856 to 1927)
- Bob Howie - Scottish rugby player (1898 to 1992)
- William Howie, Baron Howie of Troon - Politician (1924 to 2018)
- David Howie - Scottish football player (1886 to 1930)
- Hugh Howie - Scottish football player (1924 to 1958)
- Archibald Howie - (1879 to 1943)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.