NameCensus.

UK surname

Hawkin

A locational surname derived from a place name referring to someone from a hawk-frequented area.

In the 1881 census there were 646 people recorded with the Hawkin surname, ranking it #5,519 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 175, ranked #21,383, down from #5,519 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Duffield, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Shropshire and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hawkin is 1,101 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 72.9%.

1881 census count

646

Ranked #5,519

Modern count

175

2016, ranked #21,383

Peak year

1861

1,101 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hawkin had 646 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,519 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 175 in 2016, ranked #21,383.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,101 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hawkin surname distribution map

The map shows where the Hawkin surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Hawkin surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hawkin over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 523 #4,797
1861 historical 1,101 #2,549
1881 historical 646 #5,519
1891 historical 1,080 #3,903
1901 historical 612 #6,963
1911 historical 719 #5,942
1997 modern 169 #19,578
1998 modern 172 #19,883
1999 modern 178 #19,592
2000 modern 182 #19,300
2001 modern 175 #19,484
2002 modern 179 #19,598
2003 modern 172 #19,893
2004 modern 175 #19,805
2005 modern 173 #19,851
2006 modern 170 #20,214
2007 modern 173 #20,243
2008 modern 170 #20,672
2009 modern 186 #19,946
2010 modern 187 #20,309
2011 modern 184 #20,363
2012 modern 156 #22,645
2013 modern 172 #21,575
2014 modern 177 #21,340
2015 modern 173 #21,542
2016 modern 175 #21,383

Geography

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Where Hawkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Duffield, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), London parishes, St Breward or Simonward and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, Shropshire, Leeds and Selby. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Duffield Derbyshire
2 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Breward or Simonward Cornwall
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 001 Wakefield
2 Shropshire 026 Shropshire
3 Leeds 006 Leeds
4 Leeds 089 Leeds
5 Selby 001 Selby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hawkin

These lists show first names that appear often with the Hawkin surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hawkin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hawkin, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Hawkin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hawkin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hawkin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hawkin is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hawkin falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hawkin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hawkin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hawkin

The surname Hawkin is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is a diminutive form of the personal name "Hawk" or "Hawkin," which was originally derived from the Old English word "hafoc," meaning a hawk or falcon. The name likely referred to someone who had a keen eye or a bird-like appearance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Hawkin can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1191, where a person named Richard Hauekyn is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list a John Hauekyn residing in Oxfordshire.

The name Hawkin was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Somerset during the medieval period. Variations in spelling, such as Hauekyn, Hawkyn, and Hawkeyn, were common due to inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a significant historical record, there are no direct references to the surname Hawkin. However, the book mentions several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Hauekeswell (Hawkwell) in Essex and Hauochemere (Hawksmoor) in Staffordshire.

Notable individuals with the surname Hawkin throughout history include:

1. Sir John Hawkins (1532-1595), an English naval commander and slave trader who played a significant role in the early English voyages to the West Indies and the Spanish Main.

2. William Hawkins (1595-1642), an English travel writer and adventurer who visited India and Persia in the early 17th century.

3. John Hawkins (1719-1789), an English author and literary critic who wrote extensively on the works of William Shakespeare.

4. Sir Benjamin Hawkins (1754-1816), an American politician and diplomat who served as the U.S. Agent for Indian Affairs in the Southeast.

5. Sir Henry Hawkins (1817-1907), an English judge and Baron Brampton, who presided over several high-profile trials in the late 19th century.

While the surname Hawkin has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. The name continues to be prevalent in many English-speaking countries, carrying with it a rich historical legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hawkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hawkin surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 136 Hawkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.18x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 136 2.18x
Middlesex 99 1.57x
Surrey 59 1.92x
Lancashire 57 0.76x
Cornwall 34 4.77x
Devon 30 2.29x
Kent 26 1.21x
Essex 19 1.53x
Staffordshire 16 0.75x
Warwickshire 16 1.01x
Berkshire 15 3.17x
Derbyshire 15 1.52x
Nottinghamshire 14 1.65x
Glamorgan 13 1.18x
Gloucestershire 11 0.89x
Somerset 11 1.08x
Worcestershire 9 1.09x
Bedfordshire 8 2.45x
Northamptonshire 8 1.35x
Durham 7 0.37x
Dorset 6 1.45x
East Lothian 6 7.19x
Hertfordshire 5 1.15x
Oxfordshire 4 1.03x
Monmouthshire 3 0.66x
Wiltshire 3 0.54x
Cumberland 2 0.37x
Hampshire 2 0.15x
Lincolnshire 2 0.20x
Northumberland 2 0.21x
Royal Navy 2 2.66x
Sussex 2 0.19x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.39x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.38x
Leicestershire 1 0.14x
Renfrewshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 15 Hawkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.83x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 15 2.83x
Leeds 15 4.25x
Islington London 14 2.29x
St Pancras London 14 2.76x
Battersea 12 5.18x
Winkfield 12 152.87x
York St Mary 12 46.40x
Camberwell 10 2.48x
Liskeard 10 83.75x
St Giles In Fields London 9 29.12x
Betshanger 8 5333.33x
Bugbrooke 8 412.37x
Chelsea London 8 4.21x
Cwmdu 8 59.84x
Fountains Earth 8 1142.86x
Kirkdale 8 6.36x
Newington 8 3.44x
Selston 8 84.30x
Tormoham 8 14.41x
West Ardsley 8 106.52x
West Bergholt 8 344.83x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 4.28x
Coal Aston 7 411.76x
Ellenthorpe Humburton 7 2333.33x
High Low Bishopside 7 126.35x
St Marylebone London 7 2.08x
St Veep 7 608.70x
Stonebeck Down 7 985.92x
Tadcaster West 7 141.70x
Blackburn 6 3.02x
East Ham 6 26.00x
Eaton Bray 6 182.37x
Glass Houghton 6 265.49x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 6 26.54x
Hucknall Torkard 6 27.86x
Mile End Old Town London 6 4.47x
Norton Fitzwarren 6 419.58x
Plympton St Mary 6 79.16x
Prestonpans 6 107.14x
Winterborne Kingston 6 535.71x
Belper 5 26.14x
Brotton 5 61.35x
Darlaston 5 17.01x
Gillingham 5 11.28x
Goudhurst 5 84.03x
Huddersfield 5 5.50x
Hutton Henry 5 126.58x
Isleworth 5 17.84x
Kings Norton 5 6.78x
Kingswinford 5 6.47x
Lancaster 5 11.24x
Linkinhorne 5 100.60x
Wigan 5 4.79x
Wolborough 5 30.16x
Bermondsey 4 2.13x
Bispham 4 655.74x
Chiswick 4 11.62x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.41x
Farnworth 4 8.93x
Hornsey 4 5.02x
Horton In Bradford 4 4.10x
Kensington London 4 1.14x
Padstow 4 84.39x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 3.15x
Southwark St Saviour 4 12.35x
St Andrew Holborn London 4 14.66x
Tamworth 4 35.18x
West Ham 4 1.46x
Acton 3 8.12x
Eldersfield 3 232.56x
Holbeck 3 7.25x
Ladock 3 148.51x
Lambeth 3 0.55x
Nether Poppleton 3 476.19x
Oystermouth 3 35.34x
Rotherhithe 3 3.85x
Stoke Under Hambdon 3 90.09x
Wavertree 3 12.54x
York St Martin Mklgt W 3 212.77x
York St Maurice 3 25.51x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hawkin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 23
Sarah 20
Emma 14
Annie 13
Eliza 13
Ann 12
Alice 11
Jane 10
Florence 9
Hannah 9
Ellen 8
Harriet 7
Emily 6
Charlotte 5
Kate 5
Martha 5
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Lucy 4
Amelia 3
Eva 3
Fanny 3
Gertrude 3
Minnie 3
Rose 3
Adelaide 2
Bessie 2
Christina 2
Cordelia 2
Dora 2
Elizth. 2
Faith 2
Frances 2
Laura 2
Lydia 2
Marg. 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Nellie 2
Susan 2
Anne 1
Eliz.Clar. 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizebth 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Hattie 1
Janet 1
Tamzin 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hawkin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 55
John 33
Thomas 30
George 26
Henry 16
James 16
Charles 12
Edward 8
Arthur 7
Joseph 7
Robert 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Richard 5
Samuel 5
Edwin 4
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
Alfred 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Levi 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Geo. 2
Lewis 2
Roger 2
Allun 1
Arnold 1
Benjamin 1
Bennett 1
Cesil 1
Chares 1
Ezra 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Harvy 1
Hedley 1
Leslie 1
Llewelyn 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Mathew 1
Matthew 1
Nicholas 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Wm.Geo. 1

FAQ

Hawkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hawkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 646 people were recorded with the Hawkin surname. That placed it at #5,519 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hawkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 175 in 2016. That gives Hawkin a modern rank of #21,383.

What does the Hawkin surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name referring to someone from a hawk-frequented area.

What does the Hawkin map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hawkin bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.