Show ContentsHoworde History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the Howorde family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in or near the settlement of Haworth in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Hayward's Heath in Sussex is another possible origin of the name. The surname Howorde belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Howorde family

The surname Howorde was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire at Haworth, a chapelry, in the parish of Bradford, union of Keighley, wapentake of Morleywhich. 1 Historically part of Lancashire, the village dates back to 1209 when it was originally listed as Hauewrth. Literally the place name means "enclosure with a hedge," from the Old English words "haga" + "worth." 2

One of the first records of the family was Robert de Hawrth who was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Yorkshire in 1200. 3

Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Alicia de Haworth; Johannes Haueworth; Johannes de Haworth; and Otes de Haworth as all holding lands there at that time. 4

"The Haworths or Howarths are very characteristic of Lancashire, Howorth being of less frequent occurrence. The Haworths of Great Haworth, a very old gentle family, have resided in that place for many centuries; the Haworths of Higher Croft branched off from them in the middle of the 17th century; whilst those of Sale in Cheshire belong to a still later branch. Haworth was a common Rochdale name in the 16th century. Abraham Hawarth was a Manchester boroughreeve in 1746. Haworth is a place or a seat in the county, but I scarcely think that this is a sufficient explanation of the frequency of a name which, in one form or another, is borne by nearly one in every hundred of Lancashire men." 5

Early History of the Howorde family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Howorde research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1609, 1616, 1629, 1639, 1676, 1679, 1680, 1683, 1767, 1793, 1797, 1798, 1802, 1806, 1812, 1817 and 1833 are included under the topic Early Howorde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Howorde Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Howorde include Haworth, Howarth and others.

Early Notables of the Howorde family

Distinguished members of the family include Samuel Haworth (fl. 1683), an empiric, a native of Hertfordshire, and probably the son of William Haworth, who wrote against the Hertford Quakers (1676). In 1679 he was a 'student of physic' living next door to the Dolphin in Sighs Lane, and dealing in quack tablets and a tincture. He was patronised by the Duke of York (James II), and admitted an extra-licentiate of the College of Physicians on 12 Oct. 1680. His new way of curing consumption was brought to the notice of Charles II, who ordered him to test it on a case...
Another 182 words (13 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Howorde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Howorde family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Howorde or a variant listed above: John Haworth settled in New York in 1820; James, John, and Richard Haworth arrived in Philadelphia between 1820 and 1860; Thomas Howarth settled in Maryland in 1699.



The Howorde Motto +

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: Quod ero spero
Motto Translation: I hope that I shall be.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.


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