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 Origins

According to "The Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames" Dawkins means 'Little David' from Dawe plus kin presumably from Old English. The earliest recorded name is Willelmus filius Daukyn (William, son of Daukyn) in 1332 from the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire. Then a William Daukyn in the 13th Centruy in the Coucher Book or Chartulary of Whalley Abbey near Blackburn, Lancashire. Richard Daukyns is recorded in 1354 in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire. Magister Dr Dawkyns recorded in 1534 in the Registers of the Guild of Corpus Christi in the City of York, identical to John Dakyn LL.D., vicar-general of York. The earliest Essex mention is from the Session Rolls of Essex dated Jan 1585 of John & William Dawkyn of Finchingfield.

 Maps

I've created a number of maps showing the baptisms & births of Dawkins in the United Kingdom throughout the last few centuries using data extracted from the IGI and the BMD Indexes. These show how the Dawkins name has increased and moved around the country. Whether the families are connected I don't know. Certainly DNA testing should sort that out and prove the case. I will be adding a number of maps showing marriages and deaths from the IGI and eventually BMD data from the various Registration Districts nationwide. I do welcome any names and events that can be added to my files and especially families that can be added to the website.

Dawkins families were predominantly found in the counties of Devon, Essex, Hampshire, Kent, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and South Wales.