| ![Show Contents]() Hacks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of HacksWhat does the name Hacks mean? The Hacks family name is linked to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from the baptismal name for the son of Haki, which was originally derived from the Scandinavian forename Haki or Hako. 1 This Christian name was popular among the Viking settlers who landed on the shores of England during the 10th and 11th centuries. Alternatively, the name could have been a Saxon name for hedge. "The word hack is still used in this sense in co. Lincoln." 2 Early Origins of the Hacks familyThe surname Hacks was first found in Devon and Cornwall where "a barton called Busvisiek [in the parish of Kenwyn], was for several generations the seat of the Hacche family." 3 The source "Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I." listed Geoffrey de la Hak, Devon 4 and the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Henry Hak, Lincolnshire. 1 Over in Somerset, William Hack was the first listed there, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 5 Early History of the Hacks familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hacks research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1299 is included under the topic Early Hacks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Hacks Spelling VariationsUntil the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Hacks include Hack, Hache, Hach, Hacche and others. Early Notables of the Hacks familyMore information is included under the topic Early Hacks Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Hacks familyThousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Hacks were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: William Hack who settled in Taunton, Massachusetts in 1640; his son settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
- Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
- Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
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