Show ContentsAskins History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Askins

What does the name Askins mean?

The lineage of the name Askins begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in the township of Heskin, which is in the parish of Eccleston, near Chorley in Lancashire. The surname Askins belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Askins family

The surname Askins was first found in Lincolnshire, where they held a family seat from very early times. Later migration found them in Northern Ireland in the province of Connacht were the name was frequently confused with the name Waters which was also an Anglicization of the Gaelic O'hUiscin.

Early History of the Askins family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Askins research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1163, 1618 and 1804 are included under the topic Early Askins History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Askins Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Askins has undergone many spelling variations, including Heskin, O'Heskin, Askin, Askyn, Askins, O'hUiscin and others.

Early Notables of the Askins family

More information is included under the topic Early Askins Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Askins Ranking

In the United States, the name Askins is the 8,414th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Askins family to Ireland

Some of the Askins family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Askins migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Askins were among those contributors:

Askins Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Askins, who landed in Maryland in 1658 2
Askins Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Askins, who arrived in Texas in 1830 2
  • Charles Askins, aged 18, who landed in New York in 1854 2

Askins migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Askins Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • C Askins, who arrived in Victoria, British Columbia in 1862

Askins migration to Australia +

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

Askins Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Askins, British Convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 25th June 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Askins (post 1700) +

  • Herbert Rowland Askins, United States Assistant Secretary of the Navy (1951-1953)
  • Keith Bernard Askins (b. 1967), retired American professional basketball player, 3 times NBA champion (2006, 2012, 2013)
  • Charles Askins (1907-1999), American lawman, US Army officer, and writer
  • Jari Askins (b. 1953), American lawyer and Democratic politician, the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma (2007-2011)


  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. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel


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