This ancient name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational surname deriving from any one of the various places in England called Holland or Hoyland, such as those in Essex, Lancashire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. These places are recorded in the Domesday Book of 1085 as "Holanda, Holand, Hoiland", and "Holant", respectively. All the places so called share the same meaning and derivation, which is "land on or by a ridge", from the Olde English pre 7th Century "hoh", ridge, spur of a hill, with "land", and.
Locational surnames were acquired by local landowners, and the lord of the manor, and especially by those former inhabitants of a place who had settled elsewhere, and used the name of their birthplace as a means of identification. The placename Holland has generated a number of surnames, ranging from Holland and Hollands to Howland and Hoyland. Early examples of the surname include William de Holaund (1246, Lancashire), and Johannes de Holand (1379, Yorkshire). Recordings from various Church Registers include: the marriage of John Howland and Blanche Nightingale at Newport in Essex, on July 15th 1576, and the christening of Giles Howland on December 5th 1583, at St. Bartholomew Exchange, London. A Coat of Arms granted to a Howland family in 1584 depicts, on a silver shield, two black bars, in chief two black lions rampant. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Begmundus de Holande, which was dated circa 975, in the "Book of Ely" (for Essex), during the reign of Edward the Martyr, King of England, 975 - 978. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Research into the possible origins of howland leads us to learn more about those who bear this surname. The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname howland is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation. We can try to trace the genealogy of the surname howland, and in addition to the original locations of howland, we can find out where people with the surname howland can currently be found.
There is a considerable probability that howland has crossed the borders of its place of origin to establish itself, to a greater or lesser extent, in other parts of the world. With all the information we have today, it can be said that the countries where howland is most abundant are the following. The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname howland provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations. The mobility of people carrying the surname howland has led to its presence in different countries, as you can verify.
The deeds, the way of life, the places they lived, the family relationships they had, the jobs they held by those who were the first to be named howland are found in every look back in the history of this lineage. For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname howland, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of howland developed. The history, heraldry, coats of arms, and possible nobility of the surname howland are scattered in documents across various regions and historical periods, so it is necessary to reconstruct a complex puzzle to approach the facts from a realistic perspective.
It is common for genealogy and surname enthusiasts to provide us with information of special value, so the data we offer about the origins of howland could be modified. We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about howland and send it to us, we will update it on this website. Please note that if you are in a position to provide more data about the surname howland or any other surname and its origin, we would appreciate your collaboration with us by sending us information about the origin of howland.
We assume that there have been significant contributions to humanity made by individuals with the surname howland, even though not all have been documented to our present day. Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname howland were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. A surname like howland can connect a person to an illustrious lineage and a distinguished coat of arms. However, it must be kept in mind that it is individual people who, through their lives and actions, bring fame and recognition to their surnames.
The bibliography collects information related to the surname howland, which allows us to learn more about its meaning. The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of howland are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation. We consider it highly advisable to refer to the following sources if you wish to conduct research on the surname howland, as well as many other surnames.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of howland, and at the same time, of surnames in general.