Hawkes
An English surname that can be a shortened form of Hawkins/Hawking or, in some cases, a locational name tied to Hawking in Kent.
The #6,162 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 55,580 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Most historical surname dictionaries treat Hawkes as a reduced form of Hawkins, itself a diminutive of Henry via nicknames like Hal or Haw. In that sense, the name ultimately goes back to the Germanic personal name Henry, meaning roughly "home ruler." Some sources also allow a locational origin from Hawking in Kent, so the surname may have more than one source.
History
Bardsley and Lower note that Hawkins was often shortened in spelling and pronunciation to Hawkes and Hawks. Lower also records a family tradition linking some Hawkins families to the parish of Hawking near Folkestone, Kent, which suggests a place-based branch of the surname as well. The name survives in England and in English-speaking countries, and the modern U.S. count remains modest.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some older surname writers explicitly say that Hawkes is to Hawkins what Wilkes is to Wilkins: a shortened family-name form rather than a completely separate surname.
From the historical record
“the other the A-Nonn. form. The H.E. have Le Haukere, Le Hauckere, &c. HAWKES. A diminutive of Harry or Henrj', connected with Hal and Hawkins, as Wilkes is with Will and Wilkius. HAWKHURST. A parish in Kent. HAWiaN. HAWKINS. The diminu- tive of Hal or Haw, from Henry. The Hawkinses of The Gaer, co. Monmouth, and…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom