Hoskins History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Hoskins is tied to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England. It comes from the name Os, which is a short form for several personal names, including Osgod, Osbeorn, and Osmær. Os is supplemented by the common diminutive suffix -kin. While early records almost all include the “O” prefix, over the years this was dropped and now we typically find the name with an “H” prefix. One source notes that the name could have been derived from the Dutch personal name, Huskens. 1

Early Origins of the Hoskins family

The surname Hoskins was first found in Lancashire at Heskin, a township, in the parish of Eccleston, union of Chorley, hundred of Leyland. “Heskin being a joint manor with Eccleston, descended with it from the Gernets and Dacres to the family of Molyneux, of Sefton.” 2

Early London rolls included the two earliest records of the family. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1274 listed Osekin (without surname) and Robert Osekin. 3 4

Peter Osekyn was listed in the Feet of Fines of 1306 in Essex, and later Thomas Hoskyns was listed in Berkshire in 1463. 4