History of your Surname
Get access to Howley family records.Start a free trial

Howley Family History

Howley Name Meaning

English (Lancashire and Yorkshire): habitational name from Howley in Warrington (Lancashire) or Howley in Morley (Yorkshire). The Lancashire name also appears as Hooley and Wholey while the Yorkshire placename comes from Old English hōfe ‘ground ivy’ + lēah. Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hUallaigh ‘descendant of Uallach’ a personal name or byname from úallach ‘proud boastful’. Compare Houlihan .

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


Similar surnames: Cowley, Hawley, Bowley, Hooley, Rowley, Hanley, Coley, Hockley

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Howley family from?

You can see how Howley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Howley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Howley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 10 Howley families living in New York. This was about 38% of all the recorded Howley's in USA. New York had the highest population of Howley families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Howley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Howley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Howley. 12% of Howley men worked as a Laborer and 11% of Howley women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Howley were Clerk and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Howley | 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 1940

  • Laborer
    12%
  • Salesman
    11%
  • Farmer
    9%
  • Clerk
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    11%
  • Teacher
    11%
  • Clerk
    10%
  • Housewife
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Howley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 33,000 census records available for the last name Howley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Howley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Howley

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Howley. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Howley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Howley. For the veterans among your Howley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Howley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Howley family history

Discover More

What is the average Howley lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Howley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Howley in 1943 was 44, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Howley

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Howley family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Howley last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial