The Howerys, Howrys and Howreys in America are all descendants of various immigrants from Switzerland and Germany who anglicized their surname from Hauri or Haury. The two main branches of the family in America are the Pennsylvania branch and the Virginia branch.

The Pennsylvania Howerys and Howrys are descended from Hans Hauri, a wool weaver from Schöftland in the Aargau. He was expelled from Switzerland in 1711 because he was a Mennonite. His sons Hans and Ulrich came to Pennsylvania about 1718, while his son Jacob settled in Bavaria about the same time.

The Virginia Howerys, Howrys and Howreys are descended from another Jacob Hauri (c1655-bef 1755), who came to Pennsylvania about 1737. Although genealogists do not yet agree on his ancestry, I believe he belonged to the Hauris of the Palatinate, who were descendants of a Hauri who came there from Reinach about 1660. About 1784, Jacob’s grandson, yet another Jacob, moved south from Pennsylvania into Virginia, engaged in a bit of land speculation, and founded Howrytown in Botetourt County.

My branch of the family left Virginia about 1845, and migrated west over several generations into Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, and finally into Colorado and Wyoming. My grandfather owned Howery’s Jewelry in Laramie, Wyoming. My father was a rancher and western artist (under the name Ridge Durand) in Laramie. My branch of the family no longer uses the surname Howery.

Lineal Genealogy

Conrad Hauri, Knight of the Order of St. Lazarus, was living 1272 in the order’s house at Gfenn, near Zürich.Conrad Hauri was living 1282 and 1308 at Steffisburg in Bern. He was a tenant of Werner von Steffisburg in 1282. He or another Conrad was a tenant of Werner von Matten and his son-in-law Peter von Wichtrach in 1308.Nicholas Hauri was living 1303 at Steffisburg in Bern. He was a tenant of Walter ab der Matten.Ulrich Hauri was living 1310 at Jegenstorf in Bern. The Hauri property at Jegenstorf was mentioned again in 1323 and 1336.

The connected genealogy of the family begins with:

1. Ulrich Hauri (c1283-after 1324), mentioned and 1313 and 1324 at Beromünster, Canton Lucerne, Switzerland. If he was the Ulrich who founded the family at Beromünster, then he might have been brought there by a member of the von Krauchtal, von Steffisburg or von Jegenstorf family entering the monastery. Early scholarship on this family erroneously made him the illegitimate son of an unidentified Ulrich, Count von Habsburg. Married c1310, Richenza, who was granted a fief of the cellars of Stift Beromünster in 1313.
2. Johann Hauri (c1308-?), Burgher at Beromünster.
3. Arnold Hauri (c1330-after 1404), Burgher at Beromünster. Kinsman of Petermann von Gundoldingen, Mayor of Lucerne, and of Henman VI von Liebegg, Knight. Married circa 1350, Berchta.
4. Johann Hauri (c1355-c1430), Burgher at Beromünster. 1411 Vogt (Bailiff) of Beromünster as successor to his uncle Johann Weibel; 1412 Baker of Stift Beromünster with Heini von Altwis. He was a brother or cousin of Jakob Hauri, Canon of Beromünster and Prokurator for the church, who was memorialized in the early 15th century Liber Vitae of Stift Beromünster, wherein his arms are displayed with a crest, Azure a dove rising wings elevated and displayed Argent beaked and membered Gules, and for crest, a dove as in the arms.
5. Wälti Hauri (c1381-after 1470), Burgher at Sursee, Canton Lucerne; 1470 at Reinach, Canton Aargau, where he deposed that his late father was sometime Vogt of Beromünster.
6. Wälti Hauri (c1446-1487), Burgher at Reinach. 1481 Judge at Reinach.
7. Heini Hauri (c1476-after 1522), Burgher at Reinach. He was a Miller at Reinach (1501), 1507, 1519, 1522 Judge at Reinach, 1515 Untervogt of Reinach [Deputy Bailiff for Reinach].
8. Wälti Hauri (c1500-?), Miller at Reinach, 1533/35, 1539, and 1548 Untervogt of Reinach, 1537 Judge at Reinach.
9. Galli Hauri (c1525-before 1572), Miller at Reinach, Untervogt of Reinach.
10. Hans Hauri (1556-1625/6), Miller at Reinach, Untervogt of Reinach, 1605 built Schneggen in Reinach. The arms carved above the door are: [Azure] a dove on a trimount [vert] and in chief two mill rinds addorsed [argent]. Crest: a dove as in the arms. Supporters: two bears passant.

*** Not clear whether the later generations connect to the family at Reinach or the family at Schöftland.

1. Hans Hauri (c1590-?), Farmer at Kirchrued, Aargau, Switzerland. Married Verena Maurer.
2. Jakob “Joggli” Hauri (1625-?), Farmer at Rued, Aargau, Switzerland. Married 1752 Susanna Bolliger.
3. Hans Jakob Hauri (c1674-1738), Farmer at Altenheim near Offenburg, Baden, Germany. Married 1694 Anneli Mueller.
4. Jacob Howry (c1710-1755), Farmer at Conestoga, Pennsylvania. Married c1730, Ursula Schmidt. They came to America about 1737 from Offenburg, Baden, Germany.
5. Jacob Howry (1734-1809), Planter at Howrytown, Virginia. 1784 removed to Botetourt County, Virginia. 1795 founded the “manor” of Howrytown, requiring a perpetual quit rent of 1 shilling per annum for each lot. Married Christina Barbara. His son Daniel Howry was ancestor of the Howrys of Howry Hundred, near Chevy Chase, Maryland.
6. Johann Michael Howery (c1762-c1818), Planter at Christiansburg, Virginia. Married 1786, Christine Hartman, 2nd in descent from Hermann Hartman, Farmer at Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
7. Jacob Howery (c1788-1839), Planter at Christiansburg, Virginia. Murdered by his slaves. Married 1814, Catherine Hess, 9th in descent from Hans Hess, 1536, Farmer at Wald, Canton Zürich, Switzerland.
8. James Howery (1817-1874), Farmer and Blacksmith at Christiansburg, Virginia, Dane County, Wisconsin, and Marion County, Iowa. Married 1839, Margaret Heidenreich, daughter of Gregory Heidenrieich, Papermaker at Green County, Tennessee.
9. Charles Hamilton Howery (1847-1918), Farmer in Saunders County, Nebraska. Married 1875, Embrozina Wallace, 4th in descent from Anton Walliser, Farmer at Stone Arabia, Montgomery County, New York; 1760 soldier in the Royal American Regiment; 1786 a Loyalist at Iroquois, Ontario, Canada.
10. The Rev. Elmer Philip Howery (1882-1922), Farmer and Baptist Minister in Colorado and Nebraska. Family tradition says he acquired the title “Baron de Howery,” apparently in connection with membership in an “Order of Saint John,” but the details are fuzzy. Married 1904, Elizabeth Saphrona Alloway, 5th in descent from John Alloway-Strange, 1767 Planter at Albemarle County, Virginia.
11. Dudley Hamilton Howery, Senior (1910-1983), Rancher and Jeweler at Laramie, Wyoming. Married 1929, Evelyn Louise Horn, a Cherokee, 3rd in descent from Willson John Horne, Planter at Edgecombe County, North Carolina. D/D brand, Wyoming.
12. Dudley Hamilton Howery, Junior (1933-2002), Rancher and Artist at Laramie, Wyoming. Also known as Tate Wakpa Wanbli, and as Ridge Earl Durand. Pejuta wicasa (medicine man), member of the Lakota Eagle Medicine Society, and hunkpa (blood brother) of the late Petaga Yuha Mani (Pete Catches), principal Eagle pejuta wicasa of the Lakota. 2/D brand, Colorado.

Some Prominent Howerys

• James Moorman Howry (1804-1884) was one of the founders and first trustees of the University of Mississippi in 1844. Howry Hall was named for him.
• James’ son Charles Bowen Howry (1844-1928) was an Assistant U.S. Attorney General (1893-1896) and Associate Justice of the U.S. Court of Claims (1897-1915). Charles’ descendants lived at Howry Hundred, Chevy Chase, Maryland.
• Edward F. Howrey (1903-1996) came from Iowa. He was a founding partner of Howrey & Simon, an internationally known law firm in Washington, DC.
• Bobby Dean Howry (1973- ) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs.

Related Topics

• Habsburg Connection
• Hauri Families in Bern
• Hauri Family in Beromünster
• Hauri Family in Freiburg
• Hauri Family in Reinach
• Haurie Families in France
• Hourie Family in Scotland
• Lazarite Connection
• Origin of the Surname Hauri
• Our Mennonite Cousins
• Russian Connection
• von Jegenstorf Family
• von Reinach Family
• Dr. Peter Steiner, “Hauri“
• Dr. Peter Steiner, “Schneggen” (extract)
• Ulrich Howry’s Estate (1724)

More Information

• GenForm: Howery Queries

Many French families bear names similar to the Swiss Hauris, but they have a different origin. Noms de Famille, an amateur effort, lists the following:

Arouet, a name immortalized by Voltaire (François-Marie Arouet de Voltaire, 1694-1778), but now extinct. It might be a variant of Arrouet, which is undoubtedly a diminutive of arrou, which means a watering or feeding trough.

Auer, a German or Alsatian name that might indicate the aurochs, a wild ox present in central Europe (the nickname of a hard man, according to M.T. Morlet). But, it is more likely a designation for a person who lived in a locality with that name, which meant a meadow at the edge of a river, or a willow planation.

Auray, a name found in Rhône, Puy-de-Dôme and Allier, and also in Loire-Atlantique. In Brittany, it might originate from the place name Auray. Elsewhere, it might also be a toponym. There is an Auray à Molles in Allier, and it is possible that in Rhône, Auray is a corruption of Avray (the commune of Saint-Just-d’Avray). Also worth considering is the personal name Aureil (Latin, Aurelius), borne by a Bishop of Puy.

Auré, found especially in Vendée. The name indicates an origin in Auré, the name of several localities in Poitou-Charentes (as well as the name of a commune in the form of Auray). Without the accented e, it should be a place swept by the wind (ancien French aure, haure).

Haori, an Arabic name more frequently found as El Haouri. It is a variant of Hawri, El Hawri (”dweller near a lake”), from a place called (el) Hawr, a place name found in Egypt and lakes in Iraq.

Harari, originally from North Africa, this name is associated with Sephardic Jews. It comes from the Arabic Harrâr, a trade name meaning one who weaves or embroiders silk. Variants: Harar, Harrar, Harrari, El Harrar, Elharrar.

Haré, a Norman name. It might correspond to the cry “Haré,” by which sergeants marked the end of a fair. More generally, it was also used for calling dogs.

Harroué, a name found in Lorraine. It originally designated someone from Haroué, a commune in Meurthe-et-Moselle.

Haure, Diminutive of Haur, Haure. It is the Gascon form of Faure (=blacksmith).

Haurou, sometimes written Haürou, it is a derivative of the Gascon haure (= blacksmith). Note that there is locality Haurou near Arthez-de-Béarn.

Oriez, a name found especially in Belfort. Variant: Oriet. Other forms include Horiet or Horiot, Horriot, in which M.T. Morlet sees the nickname of one dischanged (Ancient French, holier, horier, horlier). Perhaps also related to the oriole.

Oroy, the oldest mentions locate the name in Marne and Aisne. It should be a toponym indicating oratory (Latin, oratorium). It might derive from the hamlet of Auroir à Foreste, or from the communes of Oroër, Orroire et Orrouy, in Oise, all of which have the same origin.

Ourry, common in La Manche, this name is an alternative of Oury. The two forms were employed interchangeably in Côtes-d’Armor in the 17th century.

Ory, perhaps a variant of Oury, but perhaps also originating from the toponym, Orry-la-Ville, a suburb of Paris.

Oury, a name found simultaneously in Brittany and in the east. It denotes someone of Germanic origin, from the personal name Odalric (odal = patrimony + ric = rich).

In the Gascon dialect of southwestern France, haure means a forge, and haury means a blacksmith. The Horrys of South Carolina probably derive from one such family. Elias Horry (1664-1736), of Charentin, France immigrated to South Carolina about 1691. His father Jean Horry had been an elder in the Protestant church in Paris. Horry County, South Carolina was named for that family.

There was a Hauri family at Freiburg-im-Breisgau, in Baden-Württemberg in the 13th century. The city belonged to the von Urach family, who were Counts of Freiburg. In 1299 a war broke out between the city and Count Egino II over the issue of taxes. The burghers fired on Schlossberg with catapults. The Count called upon his brother-in-law, Konrad von Lichtenberg, Bishop of Strasbourg, for help. In the ensuing battle, on 29 July 1299, the Bishop was stabbed and killed by Metzger Hauri (”Butcher” Hauri). He became a local hero, even though the city was fined a ruinous amount for the murder, and was required to set a cross to mark the site. A monument in the town square and a city street (Hauriweg) memorialize the butcher, and the Butchers’ Guild has since had the honor of marching first in the Fronleichnamsprozession.

Rudolf Hauri of Zofingen wrote an article in 1961 claiming that the Hauris are descendants of Hovri, a Russian merchant who settled in Switzerland in the 13th century (Rudolf Hauri, “Die Familie Hauri”, Zofinger Neujahrsblatt 1961, pp. 94-105):

“Zur Zeit der grossen Völkrwanderung im 13. Jahrhundert kamen auch Kaufleute mit Namen Hovri in unsere Gegend. Diese Leute stammten aus Russland. Es war ein strammer, arbeitsamer Volksschlag (J. Meier, Reinach).”

[During the great folk migrations of the 13th century merchants with the name Hovri came into our region. These people originated from Russia. They were a sturdy, industrious people (J. Meier, Reinach).]

The citation is to J. Meier, of Reinach, Etwelches über den Name Hauri. I have not been able to trace this source.

Historians agree that there was no known settlement by Russians in 13th century Switzerland. Apparently, this story draws on a local legend that the river Reuss takes its name from a settlement of Russians. Similarly, canton Schwyz in legend is said to take its name from a settlement of Swedes.

Later in the same article Rudolf Hauri says:

“Über die erste Ansiedlung gibt des Stifstarchiv Beromünster Auskunft. Am 17. Februar 1313 taucht der Name Houri erstmals in Beromünster auf. Die Familie war angeblich russisch-katholisch.”

[The Stifstarchiv of Beromünster gives information about the first settlement there. On 17 February 1313 the name Houri appears for the first time in Beromünster. The family was allegedly Russian Catholic.]

I read this to mean that the early Hauris were supposedly Russian Old Catholics (starokatoliki) rather than Russian Orthodox. Therefore, there would have been no conflict with them becoming parishioners, officials, priests and canons at the church of Beromünster. However, if Rudolf Hauri meant to imply there is some documentary evidence that they were Russian Catholics, he was surely mistaken.

Dr. P. R. Máthé of the Staatsarchiv des Kantons Aargau comments that a Russian settlement in Switzerland in the 13th century “must be a very hard misunderstanding.” (Personal Communication, 10 July 1990)

The misunderstanding comes into focus when we know there was a medieval legend the Reuss River in Switzerland took its name from a settlement of Russian merchants. Rudolf Hauri was following what he thought was good scholarship. I’m surprised the Staatsarchiv was not able to make the connection.

Alternatively, one history of Reinach says that the Hauri or Hovry family came from the Balkan states in the 10th century and settled at Sursee (H. Hauri, 1997). I find occasional mentions of a Balkan family surnamed Hovry or Hovri. Someone seems to have speculated about a connection.

The Scottish Horries and Houries (Hauries, Howries) bear a similar name to the Swiss Hauris, but a relationship is unlikely. The Scottish family apparently takes its name from a farm named Horrie in the Toab district of St. Andrews parish on Orkney Mainland. The farm was part of the earldom estate. It appears in records between 1510 and 1560, when there was a dispute over its ownership.

“Hourie, Horrie. Clouston suggests that this Orcadian name is possibly a corruption of Thoreson, since the Norse th frequently becomes h in Orkney (Clouston, p. 34). Hourston, Horraldshay, Hurtisco, etc., are spelled with Th in the early records. There is, however, a place name Hurre or Horrie in the parish of St. Andrews from which the name may have come. Gawane Herre or Hurre is in record in the parish of St. Andrews, 1519. In 1568 Iggagartht (i.e. Ingagarth) Hurrie, daughter of Adam Hurry and lawful heir to John Hurry, sold half the place of Hurry [Horrie] to James Irrewing [Irving] of Sabay (REO., p. 126). In the Shetland rental of 1715 A. Horrie accounts for the skatt of 2 merks land in Sandwick, Unst (Old Lore Misc., VII, p. 59-60). Magnus Horrie, a native of Shetland, and once one of the clerks of the Exchequer in Edinburgh, became a resident of Algiers and by 1766 was described as being “so high in favor and confidence with the Dey of that place that he made him one of his principal secretaries” (Old Lore Misc., VII, p. 11-12). Gawane Herre (Hurre), of great age, was resident in the parish of St. Andrews, Orkney (OSR., I, p. 63). George Hourie was tenant of Nistaben, Firth, Orkney, c. 1850.” (George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library 1946))

There was an Andrew Howry in colonial Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the Pennsylvania Militia at Chester, Pennsylvania on 10 May 1758 as a recruit in Capt. Paul Jackson’s Company. His birthplace was listed as Ireland, his occupation as weaver, and his height as 5 feet 8 inches. A military roll dated 29 May 1758 lists him as deceased at the age of 22 (Pennsylvania Archives, Series 5, Vol. 1, pp. 168, 171). Annella A. McCallum, Orkney Roots Research, notes that there is an Ireland in the parish of Stenness, Orkney. She adds that Jacob and Ursula are common names in some Orkney families in the 18th century (Personal Communication, 19 June 1990). So, it seems likely that the Andrew Howry who was a contemporary of Hans, Ulrich and Jacob Howry in Pennsylvania belonged to an Orcadian family.

John Horrie (36), a farmer, his wife Jean (34), and children William (14) and Jean (12) emigrated from Stenness, Orkney, to Savannah, Georgia on the Marlborough, September 1774.

A John Hourie from Saint Ola or Scapa in Orkney came to America in 1800 as a worker for the Hudson’s Bay Company.