| Honorific Prefix: | The Right Honourable |
| The Earl of Carlisle | |
| Office: | Rector of Londesborough |
| Term Start: | 1836 |
| Term End: | 1889 |
| Predecessor: | Sydney Smith |
| Successor: | Richard Wilton |
| Birth Name: | William George Howard |
| Birth Date: | 23 February 1808 |
| Alma Mater: | Christ Church, Oxford |
| Parents: | George Howard, 6th Earl of Carlisle Georgiana Howard, Countess of Carlisle |
| Relations: | George Howard, 7th Earl of Carlisle (brother) |
William George Howard, 8th Earl of Carlisle (23 February 1808 – 29 March 1889) was an English clergyman and peer.
He was born in London the third son of George Howard, 6th Earl of Carlisle and Lady Georgiana Cavendish, daughter of William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire and Lady Georgiana Spencer (the eldest daughter of John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer).[1]
Howard was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford.
He was Rector of Londesborough (a living in the gift of the Earl of Londesborough) in the East Riding of Yorkshire from 1832 for more than forty years until 1877, although from 1866, due to Lord Howard's mental incapacity, his duties were performed by his replacement.
He succeeded to the title on the death of his elder brother George Howard, 7th Earl of Carlisle on 5 December 1864, he never married. On his death the title passed to his nephew George Howard, 9th Earl of Carlisle.