Hawkesword History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestry of the name Hawkesword dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in one of two similarly-named places. The parish of Hawksworth is located eight miles from Newark in Nottinghamshire. The township of Hawksworth is in the parish of Arncliffe in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The surname Hawkesword 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 Hawkesword family

The surname Hawkesword was first found in Nottinghamshire where Laurence de Houkeswurda was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1194. Later we found Robert de Hauekeswrth in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1226 and later again, John Hawkesworth was listed in the Assize Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1395. 1

The family were strongest in the West Riding of Yorkshire at Hawksworth, which "comprises by computation 2000 acres, chiefly the property of F. Hawkesworth Fawkes, Esq., who is Lord of the Manor." 2

The parish dates back to Saxon times when it was known as Hafecesweorthe c. 1030. 3 By the time of the Domesday Book of 1086, the parish was known as Hauocesorde. 4

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Johannes de Haukesworth, wright; Willelmus de Haukesworth, wright; and Anabilla de Hewkesworth, vidua. 5 In each case, the occupation of the entry appeared after the surname.

Early History of the Hawkesword family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hawkesword research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1606, 1715, 1744, 1746, 1749, 1761 and 1773 are included under the topic Early Hawkesword History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hawkesword Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Hawkesword have been found, including Hawkesworth, Hawksworth, Hawkeworth and others.

Early Notables of the Hawkesword family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Walter Hawkesworth (d. 1606), an English dramatist, the second son of Walter Hawkesworth of Hawkesworth, Yorkshire, by his wife Isabel, daughter and coheiress of Thomas Colthurst of Edisforth in the same county. 6John Hawkesworth (c.1715-1773), was an English writer. He was commissioned by the Admiralty to edit Captain James Cook's papers relative to his first voyage. He was of humble origin. In his youth he was 'a hired clerk to one Harwood, an attorney in Grocers' Alley...
Another 85 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hawkesword Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hawkesword family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Hawkesword, or a variant listed above: John Hawksworth settled in Barbados in 1680; along with William, and his servants; Charles and Thomas Hawksworth arrived in Philadelphia in 1860; Thomas Hawkesworth settled in Boston in 1635.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print