Hawkins History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The generations and branches of the Hawkins family share a name that has its roots in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. The name Hawkins comes from the Old English personal name Hafoc, which continued to be in use until the 13th century. The surname Hawkins was originally derived from the form Havec and the addition of the diminutive suffix -in, which forms Havek-in. The name Hawkins has also been popularly regarded as a pet form of the personal name Henry.

Early Origins of the Hawkins family

The surname Hawkins was first found in Kent at Hawkinge or Hackynge, a parish in the union of Elham, hundred of Folkestone which dates back to at least 1204 when it was listed as Hauekinge and literally meant “place frequented by hawks” or “place of a man called Hafoc”, derived from the Old English personal name “hafac” + ing. [1]

The present town and civil parish is almost 1 mile (1.3km) east of the original village and is best known as the home of RAF Hawkinge, the closest operational airfield to France and was used extensively during the Battle of Britain in World War II. “Part of the lands and tithes [of East Wickham, Kent] were given by the famous admiral, Sir John Hawkins, in the reign of Elizabeth, to the hospital for distressed mariners founded by him at Chatham, to which they still belong.” [2]

The family is from ” the manor of Hawkinge, Kent, held by Walter Hawkin, 1326 (Parliamentary Writs). The family had previously borne the name of Flegg, for William de Flegg, 13th cent., held a fief in Hawking (Testa de Neville). The family had been seated at Flegg, Norfolk, t. Henry II. ” [3]

“The Hawkinses of The Gaer, co. Monmouth, and those of Cantlowes, co. Middlesex, claim a local origin from the parish of Hawking, near Folkestone, in Kent, of which Osbert de Hawking was possessor temp. Henry II. The family removed to Nash Court in the parish of Boughtonunder-Bleane in the same county, and there remained until the year 1800. ” [4]

We must now move to the south of England to Devon and explore “William Hawkins, the first prominent member of the greatest family of merchant seamen and heroes England has known. For his ‘ skill in sea causes ‘ this William Hawkins the elder (c. 1532-1595) was much esteemed by Henry VIII., and he was the first Englishman who sailed a ship into the Southern Seas. He had two worthy sons. The first, another William Hawkins, was the most influential resident of Elizabethan Plymouth a merchant and a sailor, the holder of a commission under the Prince of Conde, and, like the rest of his kinsfolk, quite as ready to fight as to trade. His son, a third William, was the founder of the East India Company’s first trading-house at Surat, and an ambassador to the Great Mogul at Agra. The most famous of the family was the second son of Henry VIII.’s favourite captain the renowned Sir John Hawkins ; the first Englishman to take a ship into the Bay of Mexico ; the early friend of his relative, the redoubtable Sir Francis Drake.” [5]

Early History of the Hawkins family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hawkins research.

Hawkins Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Hawkins include Hawkins, Hawkin, Haykins, Haykin and others.

Early Notables of the Hawkins family (pre 1700)

Distinguished members of the family include Sir John Hawkins or Hawkyns (1532-1595), English admiral, second son of William Hawkyns (d. 1553), leader of the Sea Dogs, knighted after he commanded the “Victory” in the defeat of the Spanish Armada (1588) [6] His only son, Sir Richard Hawkins or Hawkyns (1562?-1622), was a British Naval Commander and was brought up almost from infancy among ships and seamen, whether at Plymouth or Deptford. [6] William Hawkins of Hawkyns (d. 1554?), was a sea-captain and merchant, son of John Hawkyns of Tavistock (d. before 1490.) [6] William Hawkins or Hawkyns (d. 1589), was a sea-captain and merchant.

Hawkins World Ranking

In the United States, the name Hawkins is the 159^th most popular surname with an estimated 146,733 people with that name. [7] However, in Canada, the name Hawkins is ranked the 617^thmost popular surname with an estimated 8,310 people with that name. [8] And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Hawkins is the 367^th popular surname with an estimated 126 people with that name. [9] Australia ranks Hawkins as 253^rd with 13,632 people. [10] New Zealand ranks Hawkins as 219^th with 2,594 people. [11] The United Kingdom ranks Hawkins as 179^th with 30,683 people. [12]

 Migration of the Hawkins family to Ireland

Some of the Hawkins family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.

 Hawkins migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hawkins or a variant listed above: 

Hawkins Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Thomas Hawkins, who arrived in Virginia in 1622 [13]
• Robert Hawkins, who landed in Massachusetts in 1630 [13]
• Thomas Hawkins, who settled in New England in 1630
• John Hawkins, who sailed from Isle of Wright arriving in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship “Ambrose” as part of the Winthrop Fleet
• Robert and Mary Hawkins, who settled in the America aboard the Elizabeth and Ann in 1635, and settled in Charlestown

Hawkins Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Abra Hawkins, who arrived in Virginia in 1700 [13]
• Eliza Hawkins, who landed in Virginia in 1701 [13]
• John Hawkins, who landed in Virginia in 1714 [13]
• Susannah Hawkins, who landed in Virginia in 1714 [13]
• Robert Hawkins, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 [13]

Hawkins Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Samuel Hawkins, who landed in America in 1806 [13]
• James Hawkins, aged 30, who landed in New York in 1812 [13]
• Jane Hawkins, aged 40, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1812 [13]
• Thomas Hawkins, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 [13]
• John Hawkins, who landed in New York in 1825 [13]

Hawkins Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• Fred Hawkins, who arrived in Alabama in 1924