Hawkins History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Hawkins

What does the name Hawkins mean?

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. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1490, 1514, 1532, 1534, 1553, 1554, 1562, 1571, 1575, 1588, 1589, 1595, 1611, 1622, 1628, 1635, 1640, 1646, 1659, 1662, 1681, 1719, 1729 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Hawkins History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

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

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...
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, was son of William Hawkins (d. 1553) [q. v.], and elder brother of Sir John Hawkins (1532-1595) [q. v.] 6
Nicholas Hawkins (d. 1534), Bishop-Designate of Ely, nephew and godson of Bishop West of Ely, was born at Putney, and was educated at Eton, whence he was elected scholar of King's College, Cambridge...
Henry Hawkins (1571?-1646), was an English Jesuit, born in London in 1571 or 1575, was second son of Sir Thomas Hawkins, knt., of Nash Court, Kent. 6
John Hawkins (fl. 1635), was an English translator and grammarian, younger brother of Sir Thomas Hawkins (d. 1640), the poet and translator. 6
James Hawkins (1662-1729), was an English organist and composer and a chorister of St. John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated Mus.Bac. in 1719. 6
John Hawkins (born c. 1611), was an English politician, Member of Parliament for Cricklade in 1659; and Francis Hawkins (1628-1681), an English Jesuit, child prodigy and translator, at the age of ten...

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^th most 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.
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

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 Wight 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
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hawkins Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Fred Hawkins, who arrived in Alabama in 1924 13

Hawkins migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hawkins Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Ann Hawkins, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Jos Hawkins, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1760
Mr. Michael Hawkins U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 14

Hawkins Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

William Hawkins, aged 22, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Lady Douglas" from New Ross
Emily Hawkins, aged 23, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the schooner "Sarah" from Belfast, Ireland
Mary Hawkins, aged 26, a spinster, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Protector" in 1834
Thomas Hawkins, who arrived in Canada in 1836
Mrs. Mary Hawkins, aged 40 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "John Bolton" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hawkins migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Hawkins Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Hawkins, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 25th August 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
Mr. James Hawkins, (House), (b. 1797), aged 18, English convict who was convicted in Somerset, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17
Mr. Thomas Hawkins, English convict who was convicted in Southwark, London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17
Mr. Berrow Hawkins, English convict who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for life, transported aboard the "Asiatic" on 5th June 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 18
William Hawkins, English convict from Surrey, who was transported aboard the "Adamant" on March 16, 1821, settling in New South Wales, Australia 19
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hawkins migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Hawkins Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

James Hawkins, who landed in Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 1840
George Hawkins, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Harrington 20
Mr. Hawkins, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Harrington" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 15th June 1841 21
Mrs. Hawkins, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Harrington" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 15th June 1841 21
George Hawkins, aged 23, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Harrington" in 1841 20
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hawkins migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 22

Hawkins Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Clement Hawkins, (b. 1619), aged 16, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 23
John Hawkins, aged 26, who arrived in Barbados in 1682 13

Contemporary Notables of the name Hawkins (post 1700) +

Julia "Hurricane" Hawkins (1916-2024), American sprinter and cyclist
Mary Ellen Higgins Hawkins (1923-2023), American politician, Member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1974 to 1994
Wayne Allen Hawkins (1938-2022), American football player from Jordan, Montana who was a guard for the Oakland Raiders (1960–1969)
Oliver Taylor Hawkins (1972-2022), American musician, widely known as the drummer for the rock band Foo Fighters, with whom he recorded eight studio albums between 1999 and 2021, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021
Patricia McMahon Hawkins (1949-2021), United States career foreign service officer and member of the U.S. State Department, United States Ambassador to Togo from 2008 to 2011
Thomas R. Hawkins (1840-1870), American Union Army soldier during the American Civil War, recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm
Roger G. Hawkins (1945-2021), American drummer from Mishawaka, Indiana, best known for his work with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section of Alabama
Clifton Alexander "Alex" Hawkins (1937-2017), American football running back in the National Football League for the Baltimore Colts and Atlanta Falcons
Ernest Ray Hawkins (1927-2018), American football coach, basketball coach, and athletic director
Edwin Reuben Hawkins (1943-2018), American gospel musician, pianist, choir master, composer, and arranger, best known for his arrangement of "Oh Happy Day"
... (Another 40 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Hawkins family +

Halifax Explosion

Mr. Alfred Hawkins, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 24
Mr. Arthur Herbert Hawkins (1889-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 24
Mr. Christopher Hawkins (1894-1917), Canadian resident from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 24

HMS Hood

Mr. Ernest H Hawkins (b. 1906), English Shipwright 1st Class serving for the Royal Navy from Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 25

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Joseph W Hawkins, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 26
Mr. Albert H Hawkins, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 26

HMS Repulse

Mr. James Michael Hawkins, British Midshipman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 27
Mr. Albert Henry Hawkins, British Stoker 1st Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 27
Mr. Sidney George Hawkins, British Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 27

HMS Royal Oak

Walter James Hawkins (1917-1939), British Stoker 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 28
Kenneth Richard John Hawkins (1923-1939), British Boy 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 28

Pan Am Flight 103 (Lockerbie)

Anthony Lacey Hawkins (1931-1988), English Businessman from Brooklyn, New York, America, who flew aboard the Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit, known as the Lockerbie bombing in 1988 and died 29

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Handel Hawkins, English Cellist from England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 30
Mr. Frederick William Hawkins, Canadian 1st Class Passenger from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 31

SS Atlantic

Mr. William Hawkins, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking

St. Francis Dam

Mr. George E. Hawkins, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928

USS Arizona

Mr. Russell Dean Hawkins, American Signalman Third Class from Illinois, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 32

The Hawkins Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Toujours pret
Motto Translation: Always ready.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 32)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Adamant voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1821 with 144 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adamant/1821
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Pan Am Flight 103's victims: A list of those killed 25 years ago | syracuse.com. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/12/pan_am_flight_103s_victims_a_list_of_those_killed_25_years_ago.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 10) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html