The Howden Name
There are two versions of where this name comes from that I've encountered over the years.One is posted on the Web and says that it is an early name for a "college of secular priests".Another is that the name came from small hills that were fortified by Norse invaders (hows) and then were called dens-of-hows, later inverted to become howden.If you get a detailed map of Scotland and northern England (the one I've seen is a hosteling map), there are dozens of hamlets named Howden, so I tend to go with the second explanation.Perhaps someone in the British Isles could contribute a better or more detailed explanation.A not to flattering sidelight on the name is that apparently the Brits, when they decided to annex Northern Ireland, gave the name to someone as "Baron Howden" who was in charge of that ignoble project.In the present day there are probably two distinct groups of Howdens, some with mostly English ancestry and some with mostly Scottish ancestry.
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Re: The Howden Name
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Re: The Howden Name-HELP FROM NORWAY!!...
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Re: The Howden Name