A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hawks family of England.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Erm. two bars vert”
The Hawks arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried 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.
Reigning in England when the Hawks arms are first recorded.
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.
The family name Hawks is a patronymic or occupational surname that likely originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "hafoc," which means hawk, suggesting that early ancestors may have been falconers or individuals known for their keen eyesight or predatory nature. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Hawks family were well-established in the historic city of York. During this period, York served as a vital northern hub for trade and administration, placing the family in a bustling environment where they likely participated in the local merchant or craft guilds that defined the city’s economy. Over time, the name evolved through various spellings in parish registers and legal documents, reflecting the way names were recorded phonetically by local clerks. This early presence in York highlights the family’s deep roots in Northern England long before many of their descendants began to migrate to other parts of the world.
An Old English word referring to a bird of prey.
