Show ContentsHank History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Hank is a patronymic surname created from the Middle English given name Hank.

Early Origins of the Hank family

The surname Hank was first found in Lincolnshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1191 when Anke of Ankinton held estates in that shire.

Early History of the Hank family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hank research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1290 and 1580 are included under the topic Early Hank History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hank Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Hank has been spelled many different ways, including Hanks, Hankes, Hanke, Hank, Anke, Ankes, Hancke and many more.

Early Notables of the Hank family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • the Hanks family of Lincolnshire

Hank Ranking

In the United States, the name Hank is the 15,495th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


United States Hank migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Hanks to arrive in North America:

Hank Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Luke Hank, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1682 [2]
Hank Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Hans Michel Hank, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 [2]
Hank Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Carl Hank, aged 25, who landed in New York NY in 1849 [2]

Australia Hank migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Hank Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Hank (post 1700) +

  • Gus E. Hank Jr., American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Paducah, Kentucky, 1939 [4]
  • Robert W. "Bob" Hank (1923-2012), Australian rules footballer
  • Parris Hank Mosteller, American child actor, best known for his role as Stink in Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer
  • Hank Williams Sr., American singer
  • Hank Woodrome, American PGA golfer, winner of the 2003 Legends in Golf, a golf tournament on the European Seniors Tour from 1998 to 2003
  • Hank Steinbrecher (b. 1947), American former soccer executive, player, and coach, inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame
  • Hank Beebe (1926-2023), American composer, known for his choral compositions, Broadway musicals, and industrial musicals for the employees and shareholders of major American business corporations
  • Lt. Col. Hank Keirsey, American military adviser, known for his appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2010)
  • Hank Wilkins, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Arkansas, 2004 [5]
  • Hank Van Sickle (b. 1961), American electric and upright bassist, best known for the blues rock band The Bluesbreakers


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) VICTORIA 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Victoria.htm
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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