The English language surname Hawkins is said by FaNUK (Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland) to have three possible origins.
The most usual origin is the forename Hawkin with an original genitival -s (that is, "Hawkin's son") (or else it is Hawkin used as a surname with a later excrescent -s in the early modern period to bring it into line with the predominant style of hereditary surnames with such a genitival -s).
It is one of many personal names with the diminutive Middle English suffix -kin (originally from Low German or Dutch) added to a single-syllable hypocoristic form, such as Robert > Hob > Hopkin, Walter > Wat > Watkin, or William > Will > Wilkin. The Middle English personal name Haw is a rhyming fond form of Raw, that is, Ralph.
Another possible origin is the placename Hawkinge, near Folkestone, in Kent, England. This was written as Hauekinge in 1204, based on Old English heafoc (hawk), or more likely this same word used as a personal name. A final 'ng' was (and is) simplified to 'n' in English generally; the final -s would be the excrescent -s added to the locative surname in the belief that it was the personal name Hawkin.
In Ireland, Hawkins may be the result of Anglicising a native surname: it was used as a substitute for Ó hEacháin ‘descendant of Eachán' (= little Eachaidh, i.e. a pet form of the personal name Eachaidh meaning ‘horseman’), as it had a vague similarity in sound to the Irish name.
In Scotland, the given name Eachann has two elements. The first element is each, meaning "horse". The second element is donn, which has been given two meanings. One proposed meaning is "brown"; the other is "lord". The early Gaelic form of the name, Eachdonn, was confused with the Norse Hakon (which is etymologically unrelated). Hawkins and a derivative, Howkins, are a sept of Clan Stewart of Lennox and of Clan Guthrie.
People
A to D
Adelaide Hawkins (1914–2008), American cryptologist
Alex Hawkins (1937–2017), American football player and sportscaster
Alexander Leroy Hawkins (1843–1899), American colonel
Alfred Hawkins (footballer), (1904 – unknown) English association footballer
Alice Hawkins (1863–1946), leading English suffragette
Andy Hawkins (disambiguation), several people
Anthony Hawkins (1932–2013), Australian actor
Armis E. Hawkins (1920–2006), associate justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi Augustus Hawkins (1907–2007), American politician, author of the Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act Barry Hawkins (born 1979), English snooker player Ben Hawkins (American football) (1944–2017), American football player Benjamin Hawkins (1754–1816), American farmer, statesman, and delegate to the Native American Creek people Brad Hawkins (disambiguation), multiple people Buddy Boy Hawkins, American country blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter C. R. Hawkins (1900–1959), American politician, Missouri senator Charlotte Hawkins (born 1975), English television and radio presenter, newsreader and journalist Chauncey Lamont Hawkins or Amir Junaid Muhadith (born 1975), American rapper, better known as Loon Chris Hawkins (born 1975), English DJ and radio presenter Chris Hawkins (American football) (born 1982) Christopher Hawkins (disambiguation), several people Clifford Frank Hawkins (1915–1991), British physician Coleman Hawkins (1904–1969), American jazz tenor saxophonist Connie Hawkins (1942–2017), American basketball player Corey Hawkins (basketball) (born 1991), American basketball player Curt Hawkins (born 1985), American professional wrestler D. J. B. Hawkins (1906–1964), British philosopher and priest Dale Hawkins (1936–2010), American singer and songwriter Dan Hawkins (disambiguation), several people Darrell Hawkins (born 1969), American basketball coach and player David Hawkins (disambiguation), several people Dennis Hawkins (born 1947) English association footballer Donald Hawkins (born 1992), American football player