Hawkswood

Now recorded as Hawkswood and Hawkeswood, this is an English locational surname. It originates from either of two villages in the county of Shropshire called Hawkswood. The first is in the parish of Hordley and derives from the Olde English pre 7th century Heafoc's wudu, with Heafoc being an ancient personal name meaning 'hawk' with 'wudu' - a 'wood. The second place is Hawkswood in the parish of Sidbury. This was recorded as Hokkyswode in medieval times and meant 'Hocc's Wood with Hocc being an early personal name of uncertain meaning. Locational names were used to identify people who had left their original homes, to live and work in another town or village. The surname name development has included: Hoxwood (as below), Hauxwood, recorded in the county of Worcestershire in 1682, Hawkswood, also in Worcestershire in 1695. The first recorded spelling of the family name may be that of Alice Hoxwood. This was dated 27th July 1589 at Upton Snodsbury, Worcestershire when she was christened. This was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth Ist of England, 1558 -1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as the Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.