Map of England showing where the Hawkes arms are recorded
The Hawkes arms were recorded in Stafford, c. 1620.
Staffordshire was mixed country of moorland, farmland and early ironworking. Its landed families were spread widely rather than concentrated, and each holding brought its own claim to arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Hawkes arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Stafford.
Origin & History of the Hawkes Family in England
The surname Hawkes is a patronymic name, which means it originated as a way to identify a person by their father’s name. It is derived from a medieval nickname for Henry, as "Hawk" or "Hawkin" were common pet forms of that name during the Middle Ages. By the time the family was firmly established in Stafford in 1620, the name had evolved into its current spelling to reflect this ancestral connection. Families bearing this name in the seventeenth century were often involved in local trade or agriculture, which allowed them to become settled members of the community. As the name spread throughout the English Midlands, it remained closely tied to the regional history of Staffordshire, where the family participated in the daily life and economic growth of the growing town.
Hawkes Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Hafoc
An Old English word referring to a bird of prey.
This name
HawkesA nickname for a person with a sharp, predatory, or aggressive nature like a hawk.
also spelled
Haukes
Related arms
Hawksvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, Percy Hide, A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Staffordshire Record Office, Stafford Parish Registers, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
