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Howden Family History

Howden Name Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from Howden (Midlothian Dumfriesshire). Scottish: variant of Haldane . English (Yorkshire and Lincolnshire): habitational name from any of several places called Howden such as those in East Yorkshire Durham Northumberland and Yorkshire. The East Yorkshire placename derives from Old English hēafod ‘head top headland’ later replaced by Old Norse hǫfuth ‘head headland’ + Old English denu ‘valley’. Many of the other placenames derive from Old English hol ‘hole hollow’ + denu. Americanized form of Norwegian Hovden .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Bowden, Cowden, Holden, Rowden, Hayden, Hedden, Kolden, Dowden, Olden

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Howden family from?

You can see how Howden families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Howden family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Howden families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 127 Howden families living in Ontario. This was about 57% of all the recorded Howden's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Howden families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Howden surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Howden ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Howden. 46% of Howden men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Howden women worked as a Student. Some less common occupations for Americans named Howden were Labourer and Winder. .

View Census Data for Howden | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    46%
  • Moulder
    6%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Labourer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    25%
  • Stenographer
    25%
  • Nurse
    17%
  • Winder
    17%
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What Howden family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 44,000 census records available for the last name Howden. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Howden census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Howden

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Howden. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Howden. For the veterans among your Howden ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Howden lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Howden life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Howden in 1943 was 41, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Howden

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