Howland

Howland is a surname of English origin and a toponym used for various places in the United States and other regions. As a surname, it has appeared in genealogical and historical contexts, and it has given rise to place names and geographic features through history.

Howland Island refers to a remote, uninhabited island in the central Pacific Ocean that is part of the United States Minor Outlying Islands. It lies near its companion Baker Island and is administered as Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The island has no permanent population and supports low vegetation, primarily coconut palms, with colonies of seabirds and other wildlife. Howland Island is notable in aviation history for its association with the 1937 disappearance of Amelia Earhart, who attempted to reach it during her round-the-world flight. Because of its isolation and protected status as a wildlife refuge, access is limited to authorized researchers and visitors.

In the United States, the name Howland also appears in the nomenclature of several localities, reflecting its use as a governing or settlement name. A prominent example is Howland Township in Ohio, a civil subdivision in Trumbull County named in the 19th century. The usage of Howland in various place names mirrors patterns of English settlement and cartographic naming traditions.

Overall, Howland encompasses a surname with English roots and multiple geographic uses, most notably the remote Howland Island in the Pacific, which functions today as a protected wildlife refuge and a historical footnote in aviation history.