Find out how popular the last name Hawkey is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Hawkey.

Hawkey, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Hawkey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hawkey in America

Hawkey is the 26630th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hawkey surname appeared 915 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Hawkey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hawkey to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Hawkey

The surname Hawkey is an English name that originated in the north of England, specifically in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, during the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "haga" meaning "hedge or enclosure" and "cyc" meaning "ridge or hillock." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a hedged ridge or hillock.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named William Hauekay is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time. The name is also found in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1201, which record a Hugo Haukeye from Lancashire.

During the 13th century, the surname appeared in various spellings such as Haukeye, Hawkay, and Hauckay, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time. Some of these early spellings may have been influenced by the Old English word "hafoc" meaning "hawk," leading to potential associations with the bird.

In the 14th century, the name began to take on its more modern spelling of Hawkey. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a John Haukeye from Hertfordshire, while the Poll Tax Returns of 1379 record a Thomas Hawkey from Yorkshire.

Notable individuals with the surname Hawkey throughout history include:

1. Sir John Hawkey (c. 1320 - 1387), an English knight and landowner from Yorkshire, who fought in the Hundred Years' War.
2. Robert Hawkey (c. 1450 - 1515), a wealthy merchant from Lancaster who served as a town alderman.
3. Elizabeth Hawkey (c. 1560 - 1621), a landowner and philanthropist from Yorkshire who founded a school for poor children.
4. Thomas Hawkey (c. 1670 - 1745), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts.
5. William Hawkey (1787 - 1864), a prominent British architect who designed several notable buildings in London.

The Hawkey surname has a long and rich history, with its origins rooted in the northern counties of England. Its evolution from early forms like Hauekay and Haukeye to the modern Hawkey reflects the linguistic changes and regional influences that have shaped English surnames over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hawkey

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Hawkey.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Hawkey was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Hawkey has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Hawkey was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Hawkey, please contact us.

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