Alkins Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Alkins Origin:

England, Ireland

Origins of Alkins:

This interesting name, noted as Alkin, Alkins and Allkins, is of early English origin, and is the patronymic form of the surname Alkin, the “s” being a shortened form of “son of”. Alkin is one of the diminutive surnames produced from the old given name “Al”, itself a short form of a particular male name, usually Alan or Alexander. The earlier is a Celtic given name of great antiquity, considered to acquire principally from the Gaelic “ailin”, a diminutive form of “ail”, rock, while Alexander is of old Greek origin, from “Alexandros”, usually derived to mean “defender of men”, from the Greek “alexein”, to defend, with “aner, andros”, man. One Alkin the Jonge (younger) noted in the Assize Court Rolls of Cheshire in 1296. Examples of the surname from English Parish Records contain as the wedding of Thomas Alkyns and Mary Newman at St. Dunstan’s, Stepney, London, in July 1617 and the christening of Judith, daughter of William and Lora Alkins, at St. Petrox, Dartmouth, in Devonshire, in August 1641. The Royal symbol given to an Alkins family represents three bars azure in chief three torteaux on a silver shield.

Variations:

More common variations are: Allkins, Ailkings, Alkinso, Whalkins, Elkins, Ulkins, Alkons, Alkens, Alknis, IIkins.

England:

The surname Alkins first appeared in Kent at Hawkinge or Hackynge, a church in the union of Elham, Hundred of Folkestone which dates back to at least 1204 when it noted as Hauekinge and literally meant “place frequented by hawks” or “place of a man called Hafoc”, acquired from the Old English particular name “hafac” and ing. The present town and local church is almost 1 mile (1.3km) east of the original hamlet and is best known as the home of RAF Hawkinge, the closest operational airfield to France and used extensively during the Battle of Britain in World War II. “Part of the lands and taxes [of East Wickham, Kent] given by the famous admiral, Sir John Hawkins, in the period of Elizabeth, to the hospital for distressed sailors founded by him at Chatham, to which they still belong.” “The Hawkinses of The Gaer, co. Monmouth, and those of Cantlowes, co. Middlesex, demand a local origin from the Church of Hawking, near Folkestone, in Kent, of which Osbert de Hawking was master temp. Henry II. The family transported to Nash Court in the church of Boughtonunder-Bleane in the same division, and there remained until the year 1800. ”

The very first recording spelling of the family was shown to be that of John Alkyn, dated about 1307, in the “Parliamentary Writs”, Herefordshire. It was during the time of King Edward I who was known to be the “The Hammer of the Scots”, dated 1272 – 1307. The origin of surnames during this period became a necessity with the introduction of personal taxation. It came to be known as Poll Tax in England.

Ireland:

Many of the people with surname Alkins had moved to Ireland during the 17th century.

United States of America:

People with the name Alkins moved to America in many centuries like Thomas Hawkins, who settled in New England in 1630. Job Hawkins, who settled in Boston in 1630. Richard Hawkins who settled in New England in 1635. Robert and Mary Hawkins, who came to the America aboard the Elizabeth and Ann in 1635, and settled in Charlestown.

Here is the population distribution of the last name Alkins: United States 386; Canada 137; Barbados 101; England 65; Trinidad and Tobago 53; Indonesia 51; Guyana 27; Australia 20; Belgium 2; Scotland 1.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

Ar. three bars az. in chief three torteaux.