Howe, when derived from the Old Norse: haugr, means hill, knoll, or mound and may refer to a tumulus, or barrow. However when derived from Old English: hol, it can refer to a hollow or dell.
Notable people with the surname include:
Albion P. Howe, American Union Army general during the American Civil War.
Andrew Howe (born 1985), American-born, Italian athlete
Anthony Howe, English historian
Anthony Howe (kinetic sculptor), American artist
Art Howe, American professional baseball player and manager
Brian Howe, Australian politician
Clarence Decatur Howe prominent Canadian politician
Daniel Walker Howe (born 1937), American historian
Darcus Howe (born 1943), British broadcaster and columnist
David J. Howe, British writer, journalist, publisher, and media historian
David Howe (speedway rider), British motorcycle speedway rider
Denis Howe (born 1928), English footballer
Denis Howe, Editor-in-Chief of the Free On-line Dictionary of Computing
Don Howe (1917–1978), English footballer of the 1930s, '40s and '50s for Bolton Wanderers
Don Howe (1935–2015), English footballer of the 1950s and '60s, and coach of the 1970s, '80s and '90s
Dylan Howe (born 1969), English Jazz drummer
Eddie Howe, Former English footballer for, and current manager of, AFC Bournemouth.
Elias Howe (1819-1867), American inventor of the sewing machine
Elliot C. Howe (1828–1899), American botanist, abbreviated Howe
E. W. Howe, US novelist
Frederic C. Howe, member of the Ohio Senator, and commissioner of Ellis Island
Geoffrey Howe (1926–2015), British politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer under Margaret Thatcher
George Howe (1725-1758), British general in French and Indian War
George Howe (1886–1955), American architect
George William Osborn Howe (1875 -1960), English radiotechnicist
Gilman Bigelow Howe (1850-1933), American genealogist and president of the National Genealogical Society
The Howe family of ice hockey:
Gordie Howe (1928–2016), Canadian Hall of Fame winger
Vic Howe (1929–2015), Gordie's brother, Canadian winger
Colleen Howe (1933–2009), Gordie's wife, American sports agent
Marty Howe (born 1954), older son of Gordie and Colleen, American–Canadian defenceman
Mark Howe (born 1955), younger son of Gordie and Colleen, American–Canadian Hall of Fame winger and defenceman
Greg Howe (born 1963), American musician
Henry Marion Howe, (1848-1922), American metallurgist
Herbert Alonzo Howe (1858–1926), American astronomer and educator
Irving Howe (1920-1993) American literary and social critic
Jackie Howe (1861–1920) Australian sheep shearer
James Wong Howe (1899-1976) Chinese-born American cinematographer
Joseph Howe (1804-1873), Nova Scotia politician
Josias Howe (c.1611–1701), English divine
John Howe (1630-1705), English Puritan theologian
John Howe (born 1957), Canadian illustrator
Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910), US reformer
Les Howe (1895-1976), American baseball player
Linda Moulton Howe (born 1942), American investigative journalist and documentary producer-writer-director-editor
Louis McHenry Howe (1871-1936), political advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Marshall Avery Howe (1867-1936), American botanist
Michael Howe (1787-1818), Australian bushranger
Michael Howe (1940–2002), British cognitive psychologist
Michael Howe (born 1949) Water professional and association leader
Mike Howe, American musician
Neil Howe (born 1951), American historian, economist and demographer
Paul Tony Howe (born 1968), British swimmer
Rebecca Howe, character on the TV sitcom Cheers
Richard Howe (1726–1799), British admiral in American revolution
Russel Warren Howe (1925–2008), British author and journalist
Samuel Gridley Howe (1801–1876), American abolitionist & educator
Sarah Howe (born 1983), Chinese–British poet
Simon Howe, character from television soap Brookside
Steve Howe (1958–2006), American baseball player
Steve Howe, (born 1947), English musician and songwriter (Yes)
Stuart Howe, Canadian operatic tenor
Susan Howe (born 1937), American poet, scholar, essayist and critic
Timothy O. Howe (1816–1883), American politician
Tina Howe (born 1937), American playwright
Wallace Howe, (1878–1957), American actor
William Howe (1729–1815) British general in the American revolution
