Show ContentsHotchkin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the Hotchkin name began with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from the son of Hodge.

Early Origins of the Hotchkin family

The surname Hotchkin was first found in Gloucestershire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Hotchkin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hotchkin research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1453, 1524, 1560, 1798 and 1866 are included under the topic Early Hotchkin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hotchkin Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Hotchkin family name include Hodgkins, Hodgskins, Hodgskin, Hodgskines, Hodgskyns, Hodskins, Hodskin, Hodkins, Hodkinson and many more.

Early Notables of the Hotchkin family

Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hotchkin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


New Zealand Hotchkin migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Hotchkin Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Hotchkin, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Tuscan" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 28th September 1842 [1]

Contemporary Notables of the name Hotchkin (post 1700) +

  • Jason Hotchkin (b. 1978), former American soccer player who played from 1999 to 2011
  • R. Christine Hotchkin, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1996 [2]
  • Harry Hotchkin, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Texas 20th District, 1940; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Texas, 1948 [2]
  • Colonel Stafford Vere Hotchkin MC MP (1876-1953), English landowner, officer and politician, Member of Parliament for Horncastle (1920–1922), High Sheriff of Rutland
  • Neil Stafford Hotchkin (1914-2004), English first-class cricketer from Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, who played for Middlesex from 1934 to 1948
  • Allan Hotchkin (b. 1943), former Australian rules footballer who played for the South Melbourne Football Club (1961-1963)


The Hotchkin Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Sans dieu rien
Motto Translation: Without God nothing.


  1. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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