Howard

An Irish surname of Clare, Cork, and Dublin. In the 2010 US census it was carried by 264,826 people, the 75th most common surname in the country.

Howard is the anglicised form of three distinct Irish names. Some you can hear in the English name; others look and sound nothing like it, and were simply swapped for it.

Héibheart

Ó Hiomhair, Ó Híomhair. This family stood in Co. Limerick and Co. Sligo.

Ó Hoghairt

Where the name comes from

Ó hIomhair is descendant of Iomhar, which is the Norse personal name Ivarr. It belonged to a Sligo family of the Ui Fiachrach race formerly seated at Leacan, now Lackan, on the east side of Killala Bay, and to a Thomond family now numerous in Clare and Limerick who are generally known in English as Howards. The same name also gives Hoare, Ivors, Ivers and Eivers.

Héibheart is the literal Howard: the Norman le Hayward, keeper of the fences, from hay, a hedge, and ward, a guard. An old surname here but very rare, and now disguised as Howard.

Dramatic view of the Cliffs of Moher on a windy day, Co. Clare, fine art landscape photograph by Peter Cox
Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare

The Howard counties, photographed

Clare

Clare is the Burren: bare limestone pavement where Arctic and Mediterranean plants grow side by side. The Cliffs of Moher are on the coast. Doolin and Miltown Malbay are two of the best-known traditional music towns in the country.

Moonrise, Hag's Head, Cliffs of Moher, Co. ClareMoonrise, Hag's Head, Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare Co. Clare Aerial view of the Cliffs of Moher at sunset, Co. Clare, fine art aerial photograph by Peter CoxCliffs of Moher, Co. Clare Co. Clare Aerial view of O'Brien's Tower on the Cliffs of Moher bathed in warm sunset light with the Atlantic Ocean reflecting golden huesO'Brien's Tower, Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare Co. Clare Mullaghmore, the Burren, Co. ClareMullaghmore, the Burren, Co. Clare Co. Clare

Cork

Cork is the largest county in Ireland. Three peninsulas run west into the Atlantic: Beara, Sheep's Head and Mizen, with the population thinning the further out you go. My gallery is in Glengarriff at the head of Bantry Bay, so it's the ground I photograph most.

Rugged Atlantic coastline at Allihies, Cork, Ireland, with layered slate cliffs, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxAllihies Coast, Cork Co. Cork Sunset over Dun an Oir ruins and sea stacks on Cape Clear Island, Cork, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxDún an Óir, Cape Clear Island, Cork Co. Cork The Fastnet Lighthouse standing proud on a calm summer evening off West Cork in black and white panoramic viewThe Fastnet Lighthouse, Co. Cork Co. Cork Aerial view of the Fastnet Lighthouse surrounded by angry seas off West Cork with Cape Clear Island on the horizonThe Fastnet from the Air Co. Cork

Dublin

Dublin is a county as well as a city. The bay has Howth at the north end and Killiney Hill at the south, the Muglins are a pair of rocks off Dalkey, and the Dublin Mountains start about half an hour from the city centre.

Moonlight reflecting on the sea near the Muglins lighthouse off Dalkey Island, Dublin, with the Kish light on the horizonThe Muglins by Moonlight II Co. Dublin Long exposure panoramic view of the White Rock swimming platform at Killiney Bay, Dublin, floating in misty high-tide watersThe White Rock, Killiney Bay, Co. Dublin Co. Dublin Heron fishing at dawn on the Dublin coast — fine art wildlife photograph by Peter CoxHeron, Co. Dublin Co. Dublin

All Clare prints · All Cork prints · All Dublin prints

Notable bearers

John Howard (born 1939), politician, lawyer, and autobiographer.

Ron Howard (born 1954), actor, film producer, and director.

Catherine Howard (1524-1542), lady-in-waiting and consort.

Robert E. Howard (1906-1936), writer, screenwriter, and novelist.

Bryce Dallas Howard (born 1981), actor, screenwriter, and film director.

About this page

The counties on this page are where the name was thickest on the ground in Ireland a century and a half ago, not a claim about any one family. Names moved around inside the country as much as they left it. The photographs are mine, made in the counties named.

More Irish surnames: Johnson · Collins · Murphy · Coleman · Hayes · Mason · Palmer · Warren · Ryan · Lane · Franklin · Obrien

How common the name was

In 1890, 61 births were registered under Howard in Ireland, most of them in Clare, Cork, Dublin, and Limerick.

Munster 25
Leinster 20
Connacht 8
Ulster 8
Ireland 61

Limerick is the one I haven't worked in.