NameCensus.

UK surname

Hawkins

Derived from a place name meaning "a settlement by a hawk's wood" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 21,622 people recorded with the Hawkins surname, ranking it #160 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 29,154, ranked #187, down from #160 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, North East Derbyshire and Forest of Dean.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hawkins is 30,882 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.8%.

1881 census count

21,622

Ranked #160

Modern count

29,154

2016, ranked #187

Peak year

1999

30,882 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hawkins had 21,622 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #160 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 29,154 in 2016, ranked #187.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 29,711 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hawkins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hawkins surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hawkins 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 13,851 #170
1861 historical 13,590 #181
1881 historical 21,622 #160
1891 historical 22,704 #166
1901 historical 27,032 #160
1911 historical 29,711 #129
1997 modern 29,283 #183
1998 modern 30,793 #179
1999 modern 30,882 #180
2000 modern 30,632 #182
2001 modern 29,837 #182
2002 modern 30,270 #182
2003 modern 29,546 #182
2004 modern 29,423 #182
2005 modern 28,626 #185
2006 modern 28,615 #184
2007 modern 28,725 #184
2008 modern 28,716 #186
2009 modern 29,330 #186
2010 modern 29,901 #185
2011 modern 29,578 #185
2012 modern 28,818 #188
2013 modern 29,481 #186
2014 modern 29,676 #186
2015 modern 29,325 #187
2016 modern 29,154 #187

Geography

Back to top

Where Hawkins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, North East Derbyshire, Forest of Dean, West Somerset and West Berkshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 029 Wiltshire
2 North East Derbyshire 009 North East Derbyshire
3 Forest of Dean 007 Forest of Dean
4 West Somerset 001 West Somerset
5 West Berkshire 002 West Berkshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hawkins

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hawkins

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hawkins, 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 Hawkins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hawkins 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hawkins is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hawkins is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hawkins falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hawkins is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hawkins

The surname Hawkins is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is a patronymic surname, meaning it was originally derived from a given name. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English personal name "Hafoc," which means "hawk."

In the early days, the surname was often spelled as "Havekyn" or "Haukyn." These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time. The name was likely first adopted by the children or descendants of someone with the given name Hafoc or a nickname related to hawks or falconry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a person named "Hawekyn" as a land holder in Cambridgeshire. This suggests that the name was already in use among the English nobility during the Norman conquest.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Hawkins began to appear more frequently in various records and documents across England. The variant spellings included "Haukin," "Haukyns," and "Hawkyns."

One notable figure with the surname was Sir John Hawkins (1532-1595), an English naval commander and explorer who was a central figure in the early English slave trade. He is credited with being the first Englishman to establish a trade route between England and the West Indies.

Another prominent individual was Benjamin Hawkins (1754-1816), an American politician and diplomat who served as a U.S. Indian agent and played a significant role in negotiating treaties with Native American tribes in the Southeast.

In literature, we find references to the surname in the works of William Shakespeare. In his play "The Merry Wives of Windsor," one of the characters is referred to as "Master Hawkins."

Other notable individuals with the surname include Sir John Hawkins (1719-1789), a British author and literary critic, and Stephen Hawkins (1722-1794), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London.

The surname Hawkins also has associations with various place names across England, such as Hawkins Hill in Oxfordshire and Hawkins Farm in Berkshire, further solidifying its longstanding presence in the country's history and geography.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hawkins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hawkins 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. Middlesex leads with 3,216 Hawkins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.52x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 3,216 1.52x
Surrey 1,449 1.41x
Somerset 1,312 3.85x
Gloucestershire 1,295 3.12x
Staffordshire 1,170 1.64x
Kent 1,160 1.61x
Hampshire 1,114 2.57x
Devon 986 2.24x
Yorkshire 831 0.40x
Lancashire 802 0.32x
Warwickshire 742 1.39x
Berkshire 736 4.64x
Wiltshire 677 3.62x
Essex 584 1.40x
Dorset 421 3.03x
Sussex 407 1.14x
Hertfordshire 405 2.78x
Derbyshire 353 1.07x
Glamorgan 342 0.93x
Oxfordshire 318 2.43x
Buckinghamshire 310 2.42x
Worcestershire 294 1.06x
Bedfordshire 241 2.20x
Monmouthshire 217 1.42x
Northamptonshire 215 1.08x
Nottinghamshire 189 0.66x
Cheshire 183 0.39x
Leicestershire 181 0.77x
Suffolk 170 0.66x
Durham 151 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 139 1.04x
Cornwall 129 0.54x
Norfolk 123 0.38x
Lincolnshire 97 0.29x
Lanarkshire 94 0.14x
Herefordshire 87 1.00x
Shropshire 86 0.47x
Northumberland 64 0.20x
Cumberland 57 0.31x
Royal Navy 49 1.94x
Dumfriesshire 37 0.79x
Roxburghshire 26 0.68x
Channel Islands 25 0.40x
Huntingdonshire 25 0.60x
Midlothian 23 0.08x
Wigtownshire 14 0.50x
Montgomeryshire 13 0.27x
Renfrewshire 11 0.07x
Selkirkshire 10 0.52x
Anglesey 9 0.24x
Brecknockshire 9 0.21x
Pembrokeshire 9 0.13x
Radnorshire 9 0.53x
Cardiganshire 8 0.16x
Flintshire 8 0.14x
Isle of Man 7 0.18x
Angus 5 0.03x
Rutland 5 0.32x
West Lothian 5 0.16x
Ross-shire 4 0.07x
Stirlingshire 4 0.05x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.04x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.03x
Peeblesshire 3 0.30x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.01x
Fife 2 0.02x
Westmorland 2 0.04x
Argyllshire 1 0.02x
Banffshire 1 0.02x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.06x
Merionethshire 1 0.03x

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 263 Hawkins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.48x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 263 1.48x
Lambeth 258 1.40x
St Pancras London 245 1.44x
Islington London 234 1.14x
Aston 227 1.55x
Kensington London 181 1.54x
Portsea 177 2.08x
St Marylebone London 151 1.34x
Camberwell 148 1.10x
Hackney London 148 1.25x
Chelsea London 136 2.13x
Shoreditch London 132 1.44x
West Ham 127 1.38x
Walsall Foreign 125 3.39x
Deptford St Paul 124 2.23x
West Dean 120 17.81x
Bedminster 118 3.69x
Stoke Upon Trent 118 1.56x
Battersea 117 1.50x
Hampstead London 109 3.31x
St George Hanover Square 100 2.68x
Bromley London 99 2.13x
Brighton 94 1.31x
Paddington London 92 1.18x
Reading St Mary 91 7.16x
Bristol St George 88 4.59x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 87 2.23x
Leicester St Margaret 87 1.52x
Fulham London 86 2.80x
Clerkenwell London 82 1.64x
Newington 82 1.05x
Bethnal Green London 80 0.87x
Mile End Old Town London 80 1.78x
Bermondsey 79 1.25x
Tottenham 79 2.35x
Liverpool 73 0.48x
Plymouth St Andrew 73 2.15x
Croydon 69 1.21x
Oldham 69 0.85x
Reading St Giles 69 4.43x
Rotherhithe 69 2.64x
Stafford St Mary 68 6.73x
Leeds 66 0.56x
Toxteth Park 66 0.78x
Cheltenham 65 2.03x
Hammersmith London 65 1.25x
Greenwich 64 1.90x
Everton 63 0.79x
Kingston On Thames 63 2.54x
West Bromwich 60 1.47x
Wokingham 59 16.28x
Newland 58 16.64x
Rawmarsh 58 7.83x
Trevethin 58 4.02x
Yeovil 58 8.38x
Clifton 57 2.72x
Taunton St James 56 11.28x
Alverstoke 54 3.44x
Clapham 53 2.00x
Taunton St Mary 53 8.48x
Lewisham 50 1.30x
Southampton St Mary 50 1.83x
Chatham 49 2.47x
Poplar London 49 1.23x
Royal Navy 49 2.27x
Corscombe 48 101.54x
Bridgewater 47 5.09x
Caverswall 47 12.67x
Cheslyn Hay 47 36.07x
Ealing 47 2.49x
Stone 47 5.15x
Luton 45 2.37x
Plumstead 44 1.83x
Thatcham 44 17.99x
Harpenden 43 19.34x
St Luke London 43 1.27x
Tormoham 43 2.31x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 43 15.68x
Southwark St George Martyr 42 0.99x
Manningford Bohun 41 242.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,263
Elizabeth 860
Sarah 761
Jane 403
Ann 389
Eliza 375
Emma 364
Emily 357
Ellen 353
Alice 320
Annie 298
Hannah 198
Louisa 178
Martha 169
Fanny 152
Florence 152
Caroline 150
Harriet 148
Charlotte 138
Ada 133
Kate 133
Edith 132
Maria 124
Susan 113
Margaret 101
Harriett 97
Anne 93
Clara 89
Lucy 89
Amelia 82
Rose 82
Agnes 77
Catherine 71
Frances 66
Jessie 65
Amy 57
Matilda 56
Sophia 54
Esther 51
Julia 51
Minnie 45
Rebecca 44
Gertrude 43
Bessie 38
Rosa 38
Henrietta 36
Lydia 36
Laura 35
Ruth 35
Susannah 35

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1,289
John 1,046
George 858
James 627
Thomas 624
Henry 619
Charles 523
Joseph 288
Edward 279
Alfred 267
Frederick 257
Robert 200
Samuel 191
Arthur 190
Richard 176
Harry 167
Walter 166
Albert 156
Ernest 111
Frank 111
Herbert 96
Edwin 79
Francis 73
David 64
Thos. 61
Benjamin 53
Wm. 46
Tom 41
Isaac 38
Sidney 37
Fred 35
Stephen 35
Geo. 33
Daniel 32
Fredk. 32
Chas. 26
Jesse 26
Fredrick 23
Edmund 21
Percy 20
Willm. 20
Leonard 19
Sydney 18
Abraham 17
Mark 17
Eli 15
Michael 15
Horace 14
Jas. 14
Philip 14

FAQ

Hawkins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hawkins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 21,622 people were recorded with the Hawkins surname. That placed it at #160 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hawkins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 29,154 in 2016. That gives Hawkins a modern rank of #187.

What does the Hawkins surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "a settlement by a hawk's wood" in Old English.

What does the Hawkins map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hawkins 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.