Howard is a common English language surname. Its origins are unclear. One theory is that it derived from the Norman-French personal name "Huard" or "Heward" adapting after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Another theory is that its origin may be pre 7th century Germanic from the personal name "Hughard" (prefix hug, meaning "heart"/"spirit"; suffix hard, meaning "hardy"/"brave"). Yet another theory is that the surname derived from the Anglo-Scandinavian personal name "Haward" (prefix ha, meaning "high"; suffix varthr, meaning "guardian"). The first public record of the surname is dated 1221 in Cambridgeshire. There are several variant surname spellings. People with the surname Howard include:
Members of the English aristocratic Howard familyAda Howard (1829–1907), first president of Wellesley CollegeArliss Howard (born 1954), American actor, writer, directorBarbara Howard, RCA (1926–2002), Canadian artist and wood-engraverBenjamin Howard (Missouri) U.S. military officerBenjamin Chew Howard U.S. politicianBilly Howard (born 1950), American football playerBryce Dallas Howard (born 1981), American actress; daughter of Ron Howard and niece of Clint Howard (see below)Carlos Howard, Governor of West Florida between 1792 and 93.Catherine Howard (between 1520 and 1525–1542), Fifth Wife of Henry VIII of EnglandCecil de Blaquiere Howard (1888-1956), American sculptorCharles Howard (various)Chaunte Howard (born 1984), American high jumperClint Howard (born 1959), American actor; brother of Ron Howard (see below)Curly Howard (1903–1952), U.S. actor, member of the Three StoogesCurtis W. Howard (1917–1942), United States Navy officer and Navy Cross recipientDaniel Edward Howard (1861–1935), president of LiberiaDesmond Howard (born 1970), American, Heisman Trophy winner and former professional football playerDominic Howard (born 1977), English drummerDwight Howard (born 1985), American basketball playerEbenezer Howard (1850–1928), British urban planner (the founder of the garden city movement)Edgar Howard (1858–1951), American politicianEdward Lee Howard (1951–2002), former U.S. CIA agent who defected to the Soviet Union in 1985Elizabeth Jane Howard (1923–2014), English novelistElston Howard (1929–1980), American baseball playerEmily Howard (born 1979) British composer and chess playerFrank Howard (various)Frank Ernest Howard, English architect, generally known as F.E. HowardGeorge Howard, Australian footballerGeorge Howard (various)Gorges Edmond Howard (1715–1786) Irish legal and literary writerHarvey Howard, British rugby league footballerJames Howard (various)Jane Howard, (1935-1996) Journalist known for her work at Life magazine and a biography of Margaret Mead.JJ Howard (born 1972), American authorJohn Howard (various)Josh Howard (born 1980), American basketball playerJulia C. Howard, American politicianJuwan Howard (born 1973), American basketball playerKenneth Howard (various)Leslie Howard (various)Luke Howard (1772–1864), British chemist and meteorologist (the first one proposes the urban heat island effect)Madeline Howard (born 1949), American fantasy authorMark Howard, (born 1986), English footballerMatt Howard (born 1989), American basketball playerMatt Howard (born 1967), American baseball playerMichael Howard (formerly Hecht) (born 1941), British Conservative politicianMichelle J. Howard (born 1960), U.S. Navy AdmiralMiki Howard (born 1960), American jazz singerMilford W. Howard (1862–1937), American politicianMoe Howard (1897–1975), American actor, member of the Three StoogesOliver O. Howard (1830–1909), General in the U.S. Civil WarPat Howard (born 1947), English football defenderPat Howard (born 1973), Australia rugby team head coachPaul Howard (disambiguation)Perry H. Howard (1922–2009), sociologist who specialized in Louisiana politicsPerry Wilbon Howard (1877–1961), Republican attorney and African American civil rights activist from MississippiRandy Howard (disambiguation)Raymond Howard, American politician, Missouri senatorRed Howard (1900–1973), American football playerRobert Howard (various)Ron Howard (born 1954), American actor and film directorRonald Howard (various)Russell Howard (born 1980), English comedianRyan Howard (born 1979), American baseball playerShawn Michael Howard (born 1969), American actorShemp Howard (1895–1955), American actor, member of the Three StoogesSophie Howard (born 1983), British modelT. R. M. Howard (1908–1976), Afro American civil rights leaderTerrence Howard (born 1969), American actorThomas Howard, variousTim Howard (born 1979), American soccer goalkeeperTraylor Howard (born 1966), American actressTrevor Howard, (1913–1987), English actorWilliam Alvin Howard (born 1926), American mathematicianWilliam J. Howard (1799–1862), Mayor of Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaW. L. "Jack" Howard (1921–1994), Mayor of Monroe, Louisiana; partner of Howard Brothers Discount Stores