Ackwood History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Ackwood is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in Sussex where the name literally means "the wood frequented by hawks." 1

Early Origins of the Ackwood family

The surname Ackwood was first found in Sussex where the family name was first referenced in the year 1230 when John Hackwude held estates in that county. Over one hundred years later, John de Haukwode was listed in the Feet of Fines of 1343 and John de Hawkwod was listed in the Assize Rolls of Essex in 1351. 2

Sir John Hawkwood (c. 1320-1394) was an English mercenary or condottiere active in 14th century Italy. He was the "second son of Gilbert de Hawkwood of Hedingham Sibil, Hinckford, Essex, a tanner, was born in that place early in the fourteenth century. Gilbert de Hawkwood was a man of substance and gentle blood, the family having held land at Hedingham Sibil since the reign of John. He is also said to have been impressed for the French wars, and to have served as an archer in the army of Edward III." 3

Early History of the Ackwood family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ackwood research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1394, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Ackwood History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ackwood Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Ackwood are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Ackwood include: Hackwood, Hakewood, Hawkwood, Haykwood, Hakwood, Ackwood, Akwood, Hackward and many more.

Early Notables of the Ackwood family

Distinguished members of the family include

the Hackwood of Sussex

Migration of the Ackwood family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Ackwood or a variant listed above: Fra Hawkwood, who arrived in Virginia in 1650; John Hogward, who arrived in Virginia in 1664; Mary Hackwood, who came to Barbados in 1678; and James Hogwood, who came to St. John, N.B. in 1783..

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print