| ![Show Contents]() Hower History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Hower was spawned by the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture that ruled a majority of Britain. It comes from the Old French name Huard or the Old German name Howard. The former name is derived from the Old German name Hugihard, which literally means heart-brave. The latter name, which is also spelled Howart, is a cognate of the Old Norse name Haward and means high or chief warden. Occasionally, the surname Hower may have been applied to someone who worked at a dairy farm at which female sheep were kept. In this case, the derivation is from the Old English words eowu, which means ewe, and hierde, which means herd. In other cases, the name was adopted from where the person was born as in "William, son of Roger Fitz Valevine, took the name of Howard from being born in the Castle of Howard, in Wales, in the time of Henry I." 1 Another source sums up the diversity of the family's origin thusly: "Camden, the most important witness of all, places Howard amongst the names in use in England at the time of the Conquest. In all probability this name has had more than one origin." 2 Early Origins of the Hower familyThe surname Hower was first found in Norfolk, where one of the first records of the family was Elwin le Heyvard, who was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rolls listed Alice le Heyward in Huntingdonshire and Geoffrey le Hayward in Cambridgeshire. Later, William Heyward or Howard was Sheriff of Norwich, Norfolk in 1657. 3 "The church [of East Winch in Norfolk] is a handsome structure in the later English style, with a square embattled tower; in the east window are the arms of Vere and Howard, and on the north side is the ancient chapel of St. Mary, the burial-place of the latter family. Near Grancourt House, which was the seat of Sir William Howard, who purchased the manor in the reign of Edward the First, are some slight remains of a religious house." 4 But the family quickly became widespread. Epworth in Lincolnshire was another ancient family seat. "This place, which is the principal town in the Isle of Axholme, a district comprising the north-west portion of the county, was anciently the residence of the Howard family, who had a castellated mansion here, of which nothing now remains except the site, where within the last 70 years have been dug up some of the cannon belonging to the fortifications." 4 In Westmorland, at Levens in the parish, union, and ward of Kendal another early branch of the family was found. "On the eastern bank of the river Kent, which is crossed by a bridge on the Kendal road, is Levens Hall, the venerable mansion of the Howards, embosomed in a fine park, and crowned with towers, which, overtopping the highest trees, command extensive prospects on every side. The Howard family built the chapel, a parsonage, and schools, and endowed the living. " 4 Early History of the Hower familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hower research. Another 200 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1443, 1485, 1520, 1524, 1536, 1542, 1585, 1587, 1588, 1615, 1624, 1626, 1651, 1654, 1669, 1675, 1679, 1689, 1698, 1701, 1703, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Hower History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Hower Spelling VariationsHower has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Hower have been found, including Howard, Howerd and others. Early Notables of the Hower familyNotables of the family at this time include Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk (1443-1524) and 1st Earl of Surrey, who fought for King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485; Catherine Howard (circa 1520-1542), a cousin of Anne Boleyn and the 5th wife of Henry VIII, executed in 1542; Alethea Howard, 13th Baroness Furnivall, Countess of Arundel (1585-1654) wife of Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel; Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Berkshire (1587-1669), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons; Charles Howard, 2nd Earl...
Another 91 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hower Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Hower RankingIn the United States, the name Hower is the 8,568th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5  Migration of the Hower family to Ireland
Some of the Hower family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 87 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Hower migration to the United States | + |
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Howers to arrive on North American shores:
Hower Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Henry Hower, who arrived in Virginia in 1650 6
Hower Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Jacob Hower, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1737 6
- Joshans Miehll Hower, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1737 6
- Hans Miehll Hower, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1737 6
- Sebastian Hower, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 6
- Bernard Hower, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 6
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Hower Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Mrs. Hower, aged 26, who settled in America, in 1892
Hower Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Mrs. Chas. Goodrich Hower, aged 41, who landed in America, in 1905
- Frank Hower, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States, in 1906
- Philipp Hower, aged 40, who immigrated to the United States, in 1908
- Johann Hower, aged 7, who immigrated to America, in 1908
- Mary Jane Hower, aged 26, who landed in America from Lollagton, England, in 1909
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Contemporary Notables of the name Hower (post 1700) | + |
- Robert J. Hower, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 11th District, 1968 7
- Robert E. Hower, American Republican politician, Candidate for New York State Senate, 1935 (9th District), 1942 (9th District), 1944 (10th District), 1948 (10th District); Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 9th District, 1936 7
- Henry S. Hower, American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Lycoming County, 1903-04 7
- Nancy Hower (b. 1966), American actress, director, screenwriter and producer
| Historic Events for the Hower family | + |
- Mr. Leonard G Hower, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 8
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Sola virtus invicta
Motto Translation: Virtue alone invincible.
- Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, August 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
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Hower migration to the United States 
England
Ireland
