Hawke
A surname derived from the Old English word 'hafoc', meaning hawk or a person that hunted with hawks.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,885 Americans carry the last name Hawke. That puts it at #17,290 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.55 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 181,833 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hawke surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
1.9K
1 in 181,833
Census rank
#17,290
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,637 bearers of the surname Hawke in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.55 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 17290th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hawke, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.1%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hawke
The surname Hawke originated in England and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word 'hafoc', meaning 'hawk', and likely referred to someone who was a falconer or keeper of hawks. The name was initially found in counties such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire.
The earliest known record of the name Hawke appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1199, where it is written as 'Hauoc'. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also mention a 'Richard Hauk' in Lincolnshire. Over time, the name evolved to its modern spelling of 'Hawke'.
In the 14th century, the Hawke family held lands in Brasted, Kent, and the name is mentioned in the Feet of Fines for that county in 1337. Another early reference can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, where a 'John Hauk' is listed.
One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Hawke (c. 1520-1595), an English naval commander who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was knighted for his services in the English victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Another prominent figure was Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke (1705-1781), a British naval officer who played a crucial role in the Seven Years' War. He is best known for his victory over the French fleet at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759.
The name Hawke is also associated with the town of Hawkesbury in New South Wales, Australia, which was named after Baron Hawkesbury, the Lord President of the Committee of Trade and Foreign Plantations in the late 18th century.
Other notable individuals with the surname Hawke include Benjamin Hawke (1676-1738), an English politician and landowner, and Ethan Hawke (born 1970), an American actor, writer, and director.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hawke
Among Census respondents with the surname Hawke, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.1%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Hawke bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Hawke surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9%
- Two or more races2.1%
- Hispanic or Latino2.0%
- Black or African American1.6%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Hawke surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,290 | #17,290 | 0.0% |
| Count | 1,637 | 1,637 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.55 | 0.55 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Hawke bearers went from 1,637 to 1,637 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #17,290 to #17,290.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Hawke
FAQ
Hawke surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Hawke?
The surname Hawke holds position #17,290 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,885 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.55 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Hawke surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hawke, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.1%) and Hispanic (2.0%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.