Howetson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Howetson was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Howetson family lived in Huet, near Evreux, in Normandy, France. 1 The name is extended to denote "son of," as in "son of Huet." 2

Early Origins of the Howetson family

The surname Howetson was first found in Yorkshire, where Henry Hwetsone was listed as a Freeman of York in 1363. A few years later, Richard Huetson was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 2

Early History of the Howetson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Howetson research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1489 and 1544 are included under the topic Early Howetson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Howetson Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Hewitson, Hewartson, Hewetson and others.

Early Notables of the Howetson family

More information is included under the topic Early Howetson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Howetson family to Ireland

Some of the Howetson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Howetson family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Howetson or a variant listed above: Thomas Hewitson, who came to Jamaica in 1724; Rowland Hewetson, a bonded passenger, who arrived in America in 1733; William Hewison, who came to Georgia in 1775.

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)