They became oppressed under Norman rule, and some moved northward to the Midlands, Lancashire and Yorkshire, even into Scotland. However, the Norman invasion from France and their victory at the battle of Hastings, found many of the vanquished Saxon land owners forfeiting their land to Duke William and his invading nobles. The Anglo-Saxon five century domination of English society was an uncertain time, and the nation divided into five separate kingdoms, a high king being elected as supreme ruler.īy 1066 King Harold came to the throne of England, which was enjoying reasonable peace and prosperity.

The Angles on the other hand occupied the Eastern coast. This founding race of England, a fair skinned people, led by the Saxon General / Commanders Hengist and Horsa, settled in Kent from about the year 40 AD. The family name Hawkins is one of the most notable of the ancient Anglo-Saxon race. Many reasons were revealed for these spelling variations, but mainly church officials and scribes spelt the name as it was told to them. There is one record, a father and eight sons, in the graveyard where they are buried, all nine have different spellings of their surnames. Although your name 'Hawkins' occurred in many manuscripts, from time to time the surname was also spelt Hawkins, Hawkin, Haykins, Haykin, and these changes in spellings frequently occurred, even between father and son. In an in-depth research of such ancient manuscripts as the Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 AD by Duke William of Normandy, the Ragman Rolls (1291 - 1296) collected by King Edward I of England, the Curia Regis Rolls, the Pipe Rolls, the Hearth Rolls, parish register, baptismals, tax records and other ancient documents researchers found the first record of the name Hawkins in Kent, where they were seated from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066.Ĭonfusing to most, we found many different spellings in the archives researched. The distinguished surname 'Hawkins' is one of the most notable Anglo-Saxon surnames, and its historical trail has emerged from the mists of time to become an influential surname of the Middle Ages and of the present day. From Andy Hawkins' 'The Ancient History of the Distinguished Surname 'Hawkins'' (link under sources below):

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