HOWIESON: 'Son of Howie,' a diminutive of How, an early form of Hugh, which see. Hewcysoune, an error for Heweysoune (Workman MS.). John Howison, burg ess of Edinburgh, 1450. His son had a charter of Cramond Regis, 1465 (Wood, Parish of Cramond, 1794). Nicholas Howvson, presbyter of S. Andrew's diocese, 1475 (Kelso, 532). John Howison admitted burgess of Aberdeen, 1406 (NSCM., I, p. 2), and another John Howison was member of assize in an Aberdeen shipping case, 1451 (CRA., p. 19). Martin Howesone, notary public in a Monymusk charter (View, p. 180), may be Martin Hoveson, burgess of Inverness, 1546 (CRA., p. 245). Dandie Howisone, tenant on lands of Kelso Abbey, 1567 (Kelso, p. 528), John Howisone, cantor in the Collegiate Church of Holy Trinity, Edinburgh, 1519 (Soltre, p. 184), and Robert Houissoune, burgess of Dundee, 1628 (Brechin). The name of the Rev. Thomas Howieson, minister of Boleskine in the last half of the seventeenth century, is also spelled Huison and Houston. Thomas Houison in Natherton of Mosplat, Lanark, 1711 (Minutes, p. 114). Howeson 1709, Howesoune 1602, Howiesoune 1551, Howyson and Howysoun 1570, Huisone 1686.

The son of Hugh, Hughie, or Hewie. The old Scottish mode of spelling Hugh was Hew, as especially in the family of Dalrymple. In Renfrewshire, where the surname abounds, it is pronounced Hewie's-son.

The son of Hugh. The family are descended from John Howison, burgess of Edinburgh, 1450. The first ancestor of the family and his son, were farmers, and rescued James I from an attack made upon him when he had strayed from his attendants, while hunting near Cramond Bridge, and having saved the king's life by beating off his assailants with their flails, held a basin and a towel to wash his wounds. For these timely services they were rewarded with a grant of the lands of Braehead, the reddendo in the charter being "Servitium Lava-cri," a service that was complied with to George IV, at the banquet of the magistrates of Edinburgh in 1822.