Hawk
A nickname surname for someone thought to be hawk-like—sharp-eyed, fierce, or keen in disposition.
The #2,149 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 18,286 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is generally taken from the bird-name hawk, used as a byname for a person imagined to be fierce, wild, or keen. In older English naming, bird surnames could describe a visible trait or a striking temperament, and Bardsley notes that Hawk likely began as a sobriquet of this kind. The word itself goes back to Old English and Germanic forms for the bird of prey.
History
Bardsley treats Hawk/Hawke as a nickname surname and adds that it may also have been used as a personal name in some cases. In medieval England, bird-based bynames were common, especially in contexts influenced by falconry and hunting culture. The spelling Hawke is a common historical variant.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century surname writers often grouped Hawk with other bird-names like Eagle, Falcon, and Sparrowhawk as examples of lively medieval nicknaming.
From the historical record
“HAWK Hawk, Hawke.— Nick, 'the hawk,' « sobriquet affixed to one of a fierce, or wild, or cruel disposi- tion ; cf. Eagle, Falcon, Heron, &c No doubt, too, Hawk, like Sparrow- hawk (q.v.), was a personal name, or, as we should now say, a bap- tismal name as well as a nickname ; V. Hauxwell.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)