Hauk History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Ireland

The Hauk surname finds its earliest origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name is derived from the Old English personal name Hafoc, which means hawk. But, the surname also evolved from a nickname, for someone with a Hawk-like, or "wild" disposition. 1 2 3

It may also be an occupational surname given to a "hawker" or someone who held land in exchange for providing hawks to a lord. 4

Lastly, the surname Hauk may be a local surname given to someone who lived in a nook or corner; in this case, the surname is derived from the Old English word halke, which means nook or corner.

On the more romantic side, one reference claims the name derives from the "bird: allusive to keenness of disposition." 2

Early Origins of the Hauk family

The surname Hauk was first found in Hampshire where Hauok was found in 1066 at Winton. Roger Hauech was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Dorset in 1176 and later, Robert Hauk was found in the Assize Rolls for Northumberland in 1269. Walter le Hauek was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. 4

This same source has another interesting entry: "Osbertus filius Hauoc c1115 [who was found as an Old English Byname in Oxfordshire] is probably to be identified with Osbern Hauoc (ibid.). His father bore the OE name of Hafoc 'hawk'." 4

In 1130 the Pipe Rolls list Ralph Hauoc who owed the exchequer two 'Girfals', gerfalcons or hawks. Other early record from the same source include: William del Halk who was found in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in 1188; Adam de Halk in the Assize Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1260; and William atte Halk and Alan Hauke in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had only one listing for the name, that of Jocelin de Hawke, but no county was provided. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Records of 1379 list: Thomas Hauke; Thomas Hauke, cottier; Adam Hawke; and Johannes Hawke. 3

Early History of the Hauk family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hauk research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1577, 1601, 1703, 1705, 1718, 1719, 1720, 1722, 1725, 1727, 1747, 1752, 1759 and 1781 are included under the topic Early Hauk History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hauk 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 Hauk 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. The variations of the name Hauk include: Hawk, Hawke, Hawkes, Hauk, Hauke and others.

Early Notables of the Hauk family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Edward Hawke (1705-1781), British admiral, 1st Baron Hawke of Towton, county Yorkshire. He was "born in London in 1705, was only son of Edward Hawke, barrister, of Lincoln's Inn. His father's family was settled for many generations at Treriven in Cornwall. In 1718 his father died, and Hawke, left the ward of his uncle, Martin Bladen, entered the navy on 20 Feb. 1719 as a volunteer on board the Seahorse, commanded by Captain Thomas Durell...
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hauk Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hauk Ranking

In the United States, the name Hauk is the 16,510^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Hauk family to Ireland

Some of the Hauk family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hauk migration to the United States +

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 Hauk or a variant listed above:

Hauk Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hans Georg Hauk, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 6
Jacob Hauk, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1748 6
Barnhart Hauk, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 6
Blasius Hauk, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1749 6
Bernhart Hauk, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1749
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hauk Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Franz Hauk, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 6
C. J. Hauk, who settled in Baltimore in 1832
Barbara Hauk, who settled in New York in 1832
Heinrich Hauk, who landed in America in 1832 6
Eberhard Hauk, who arrived in Ohio in 1869 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Hauk (post 1700) +

A. Andrew Hauk (1912-2004), United States federal judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of California
Paul Hauk, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State Senate 15th District, 1958 7
Angelo Hauk (b. 1984), German footballer

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 5) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html