Hawkley is a name of
Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the Old English
personal name Hafoc, which means
hawk. However, the surname Hawkley may have been applied as a
nickname to someone with a wild or cruel disposition. It may also be an
occupational surname given to a "hawker" or someone who held land in exchange for providing hawks to a lord. Lastly, the surname Hawkley 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.Early Origins of the Hawkley family
The surname Hawkley was first found in
Lincolnshire where Jocelin de Hawke was listed in the
Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. While this is the first listing of the name, years later the
Yorkshire Poll Tax Records of 1379 list: Thomas Hauke; Thomas Hauke, coteler; Adam Hawke; and Johannes Hawke.
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6) On the more romantic side, one reference claims the name derives from the "bird: allusive to keenness of disposition."
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Early History of the Hawkley family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hawkley research.
Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1705 and 1781 are included under the topic Early Hawkley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Hawkley 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 Hawkley have been found, including Hawk, Hawke, Hawkes, Hauk, Hauke and others.
Early Notables of the Hawkley family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Hawkley Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Hawkley family to the New World and Oceana
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. Among the first immigrants of the name Hawkley, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were : Mathew and Margaret Hawke, who arrived in Boston in 1630 and later moved to Salem; John Hawke, who arrived in Lynn, MA in 1630; Mary Hawkes, who came to Virginia in 1635.
Contemporary Notables of the name Hawkley (post 1700)
Historic Events for the Hawkley family
- Mr. Robert Hawkley, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the explosion [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance