Explore the Family Name Howells
The meaning of Howells
1. English and Welsh (Glamorgan): variant of Howell, with genitival or post-medieval excrescent English -s. 2. English: perhaps occasionally a nickname for someone who was fearless, from Middle English houe, houwe ‘anxiety, fear’ (Old English hogu or hoga) + les ‘less’. If this has survived as a modern surname, its pronunciation has been influenced by that of the name in 1 above. 3. English: variant of Holes.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Howells in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Howells had a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 10,363rd most popular surname and slipped to the 10,772nd spot in 2010, marking a decline of 3.95%. However, the actual count of people bearing the Howells surname increased by 3.97% over the decade, from 2,848 in 2000 to 2,961 in 2010. The proportion of individuals with the surname per 100k also slightly decreased by 5.66%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,363 | #10,772 | -3.95% |
| Count | 2,848 | 2,961 | 3.97% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.06 | 1 | -5.66% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Howells
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the majority of individuals with the Howells surname identify as White. This demographic saw a minor decrease from 94.59% in 2000 to 92.91% in 2010. The percentage of Howells identifying as Black rose slightly from 2.39% to 2.53%. Interestingly, there was a significant increase in the number of individuals identifying as Hispanic, moving from 1.09% to 2.23%, indicating a growth of 104.59%. Those identifying with two or more ethnicities grew by 12.7%. No Howells identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native during these years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.59% | 92.91% | -1.78% |
| Black | 2.39% | 2.53% | 5.86% |
| Hispanic | 1.09% | 2.23% | 104.59% |
| Two or More Races | 1.26% | 1.42% | 12.7% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Howells ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Howells is British & Irish, which comprises 63.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.6%) and Eastern European (3.2%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 63.8% |
| French & German | 20.6% |
| Eastern European | 3.2% |
| Other | 12.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Howells
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Howells have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 93.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 93.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 93.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 93.00% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 92.20% |
What Howells haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Howells is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and R-L48, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Rowlands, Barlow, Cody, Stead, Prichard, Corley, Prescott, Mears, Kendrick, Justice.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Howells surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Howells have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Howells" Surname 59.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Howells" Surname 36.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Howells" Surname 23.4%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Howells" Surname 18.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Howells?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Howells are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition