Surname Hawkin - Meaning and Origin
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Hawkin: What does the surname Hawkin mean?
The surname Hawkin is of English origin and is derived from a personal name. It is a patronymic form of the medieval given name "Hawkin", a diminutive form of "Hawk". The term "Hawk" is an English nickname for someone with a strong and forceful personality or perhaps for someone who bore a fancied resemblance to a hawk. It could also refer to a bird catcher or someone who kept and trained hawks, which was a popular medieval sport among the aristocracy. As a diminutive, Hawkin would translate to "little hawk", further rendering a friendly or endearing tone. Over time and with spelling variations, it evolved to become a recognizable surname. Therefore, the Hawkin surname carries with it implications of power, sharpness, keenness, and nobility due to the association with the bird, hawk.
Order DNA origin analysisHawkin: Where does the name Hawkin come from?
The surname Hawkin is of Old English origin. The name is largely considered to be a pet form of the personal name "Hawk", which was a very common personal name during the Middle ages in England. The "kin" suffix indicates "kin of, or son of Hawk".
The name can be traced back to medieval times in England. It is a topographic name for someone who lived by a place that was known or recognized by a sign depicting a hawk. Therefore, the name might derive from residence nearby such a sign. Additionally, the name may be occupational, referring to someone who cared for or dealt with hawks in a royal or noble house.
Today, the last name Hawkin can still be found in England, but it has also spread to other English-speaking countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. There isn't a specific region where it's notably common, but it is more frequently encountered in anglophone countries because of historic British emigration patterns.
Variations of the surname Hawkin
The surname Hawkin can be traced back to early 7th century England and is derived from the medieval personal name Hawkin, a diminutive form of the name Hawk, from the Old Norse name "Haukr".
Spelling variations can occur based on different pronunciations and translations throughout history. Variants of the surname Hawkin include Hawkins, Hawken, Haukin, Haukyn, Hawkyn, Hawkyns, Hawkyne, Hawkin, Hawking, and Hauk.
Since the surname is patronymic (derived from a father's name), in some cases, it can also be modified with the suffixes “son” or “s” to indicate lineage. Therefore, it's not uncommon to find surname variants such as Hawkinson or Hawkin's.
Hawkins is the most common spelling variant and is used widely in English-speaking countries. In fact, it's more frequently found than the original Hawkin.
As is common with surnames, geographical location has also influenced various dialectal forms. Examples are Haukyn in Somerset and Hawkyne in Sussex.
In terms of its use as a first name, the names Hauke, Haukyn, and Hawke are related to Hawkin.
While it hasn’t branched much in terms of surnames, it has been extended in the form of compound surnames like Hawkinsmith. The name is not known for having any link with other surnames of a different origin.
Famous people with the name Hawkin
- Sophie Hawken: British journalist who has been a news anchor and reporter for Sky TV.
- Stephen Hawking: world-renowned theoretical physicist, cosmologist and best-selling author who has held both the Lucasian and Einstein Professorships at Cambridge University.
- Besse Hawkin: An African-American activist for civil rights in the early 20th century, who worked together with W.E.B. Dubois to create the Niagara Movement.
- Jessica Hawkins: British actress best known for her role in the ITV drama series Emmerdale.
- Edward Hawkins: British artist who specialized in portrayals of outdoor life.
- James Hawkins: American artist and painter who was part of the Hudson River School.
- Mark Hawkin: British bassist best known for his work with the alternative rock band Arctic Monkeys.
- Roxanne Hawkin: Canadian actor and competitor on the reality show So You Think You Can Dance.
- Evelyn Hawkin: British writer and author of multiple children’s books.
- James Hawken: British actor known for his roles in the television series The Bill and Primeval.