The ancestors of the name Howell are thought to have lived among the ancient Britons, who inhabited in the hills and Moors of present day Wales. This particular surname was derived from the Welsh personal name Hoel, which was originally derived from the Old Welsh name Houel. This name was imported by Welsh settlers into the English counties bordering Wales; however, in the eastern English counties, the name was brought by Breton settlers. The Breton forms of the name were Houuel, Huwel, Huwal, and Howael. The name Howell has seen various spelling variations: Howell, Howel, Hawell, Howels, Howells, Hovell and many more.

In the United States, the name Howell is the 219th most popular surname with an estimated 119,376 people with that name.