Howie is a Scottish locational surname derived from a medieval estate in Scotland's southwest county of Ayrshire. While its ancient name is known as "The lands of How", its exact location is lost to time. The word "How", predating written history, appears to originate from the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde as a locational description of a "hollow" (deep valley). The alternate spelling of Howie is "Howey". The oldest public record of the surname dates to 1526 in the town of Brechin. People with the surname or its variant include:
Al Howie (1945–2016), Canadian athlete
Archibald Howie (born 1934), British physicist
Forbes Howie (1920–2000), Scottish businessman
George Howie (1899–1979), American racecar driver
Gillian Howie, British philosopher
Gordon Howie (born 1949), American politician
Hugh Howie (1924–1958), Scottish footballer
James Howie (1878–1963), Scottish footballer
John Howie (biographer) (1735–1793), Scottish biographer
John Howie (businessman) (1833–1895), Scottish businessman
John Mackintosh Howie (1936–2011), Scottish mathematician
Robert Howie (born 1929), Canadian politician
Robert Howie (businessman) (1846–1927), Scottish businessman
Thomas D. Howie (1908–1944), American army officer
Thomas W. Howie (1856–1927), Scottish businessman
William Howie, Baron Howie of Troon (born 1924), British politician
Howey
Benjamin Franklin Howey (1828–1895), American politician
Hugh Howey (born 1975), American author
Kate Howey (born 1973), British judoka
Lee Howey (born 1969), English footballer
Peter Howey (born 1958), English footballer
Steve Howey (actor) (born 1977), American actor
Steve Howey (footballer) (born 1971), English footballer
