A storied and distinguished surname, the Hawkins family name can find its origins in a variety of Western European sources.

Beginning in Norway, we find Haakonson, Hakon in the Icelandic sagas. Hawkynne, Haukyn, and Hauekin in England. Haughan and O’ hEachain in Ireland and the Anglo-Norman de Hawking. Many online surname searches list the Hawkins name as Anglo-Saxon in origin, this can not be confirmed due to the fact that before the Norman invasion of 1066, the Anglo-Saxon people did not use surnames unless used by occupation or trade. The name is also a derivative of Howkins, which is a sept of Clan Stewart Lennox of Scotland.

Though no Hawkins are indigenous today in Scandinavia or Iceland, they are concentrated in Kent, England Antrim, Galway in Iceland; in fact Castle McGuiness in Ireland was given to the Hawkins family by Charles II.

They are also distributed all across the United States.

The Hawkins family coat of arms., used from the time of Edward III (1327-1377), is silver with a black saltire on it. Five gold fleur-de-lies appear on the saltire. The crest is a gold stag on a green mound.

Authors Note:

Though the Scandinavian connection is mere speculation on my part. This association is based upon the phonetic similarities. However, the Norman Scottish and Irish links are undeniable.

Written and researched Sean Wright