Surname Hewins - Meaning and Origin

Hewins: What does the surname Hewins mean?

The last name Hewins is of English origin and has multiple possible meanings. It is most commonly thought to either mean someone who lives near holly trees, which were used by early communities for hassle-free firewood, or it could mean someone who was described as “holly-dweller”, because of their connection to an area rich in holly trees. Additionally, it may mean someone who lives on a hill, because of the Old English term meaning "high meadow".

Alternatively, the name could be derived from Hugh, an old Nickname name from the Norman personal name "Hue" or "Hugh" which means "heart and mind". In this case, Hewins would have meant "Hugh's son".

Additionally, the name has been linked to the family name Harwin, which is an Anglo-Saxon topographical name derived from the Old English term "harw" meaning 'grey wood' or 'grey-haired'. This would make the name Hewins be derived from the ancient word for a forest that had an abundance of holly trees or any other grey-leaved tree.

The name Hewins is also linked to the old English name Hew, meaning “to have”. In this case, the name Hewins could mean “one who has”, which could refer to someone who has a lot of possessions or wealth.

The last name Hewins has multiple potential meanings that are all connected to the early communities and cultures of England. It could refer to someone’s wealth, their place of origin, or even to the colour and type of trees found in their local area.

Hewins: Where does the name Hewins come from?

The last name Hewins is uncommon today and does not feature prominently in any specific geographical region. The name is most popular in England, Wales, and Scotland, with the greatest numbers found in the United Kingdom and Ireland. According to The World Geographic Distribution of Hewins in 2005, the vast majority of individuals who hold this surname live in the UK (242). The remaining number is found in other European countries, like Germany (50) and the Netherlands (3). In the United States, the surname is much less common, with only 81 people in the United States identified in the 2005 estimates.

Of those 81 people, the largest concentration of Hewins can be found in the state of Massachusetts, where 15 individuals have the last name. Nevada, New York, and Pennsylvania all follow with 6, 7, and 8, respectively. After that, numbers decline sharply, with only two people in Idaho and Utah, and one person identified in Alabama, Colorado, and Florida. The family name is rarely found in the states that were colonized, as well as in the western and midwestern regions of the US.

Outside of the US and Europe, the surname is even more rare. A single person was identified in the Caribbean islands, and no individuals were identified in Australia, New Zealand, or Canada. No occurrences of Hewins were identified in South America, Asia, or Africa. While this family name is relatively uncommon today, the infrequency of the name may be reflective of its oldest recorded dealings, which trace back to the Middle Ages.

Variations of the surname Hewins

The surname Hewins is an English name of Anglo-Saxon origin, which is derived from the Old English personal name Hugh. This name is compiled of several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.

Variants: Hewens, Hews, Huwins, Huwens

Spellings: Hewins, Huwin, Huwen, Humphin

Surnames: Hewin, Huein, Hughin, Humphins

The surname Hewins first appeared in records in the late eleventh century in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcester, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire. During the Middle Ages, familiar forms of the name Hewins were Hugh and Huw, along with their various regional dialectal variants Hew, Hue, Hu, and Huke.

Hewins, usually spelled Huwin or Huen, was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 with Hugh as the first record of the name. In Medieval England, Huwin and Hugh were occasionally used as baptismal and patronymic names. During the early phases of development as a surname, the spelling of Hewins varied widely with Huwin, Hughin, Huwens, Hews, and Humphin all being found in the records.

Variants of this surname continue to survive today as surname variants, including Hewens, Hews, Huwins, Huwens, Hewin, Huein, Hughin, and Humphins. In addition, the modern spelling Hewins continues to see use in various parts of the world, particularly in Great Britain and the United States.

Famous people with the name Hewins

• Raymond Hewins: British Army officer
• Ruth Hewins: American figure skating coach
• Leon Hewins: British author
• Miriam Hewins: British historian
• Gillian Hewins: English actress
• Charles Hewins: Canadian philanthropist
• Jennifer Hewins: English football referee
• Samuel John Hewins: English schoolteacher
• James F. Hewins: American banker
• Norman Hewins: English Anglican bishop

Other surnames

Hewin