Recorded as Heskin, Heskins, Hoskin and Hoskins, this interesting surname is English. The origination is the ancient given name of "Osekin", from the pre 7th century element "os", meaning god, and the later '-kin' meaning a very close relative. The addition of an inorganic "H" to names beginning with a vowel is a relatively common phenomenon, other examples being for instance Alton and Halton or Ayton and Hayton. The surname development includes Peter Osekyn of Essex in 1296; Thomas Hoskyns of Berkshire in 1463, and William Hoskyn of Kent in 1472. The surname is generally popular through the British Isles and can be found recorded as Heskin, Hoskin, Hoskyn, Hosken and Hosking, as well as the patronymics Heskins, Hoskins, Hoskyns, Huskinson, Hoskisson and Huskisson. Adam Hoskins was one of the earliest colonists to New England being recorded as 'living in Virginia in February 1623' at the village of Eastern Shore, whilst the marriage was recorded in Devonshire of Parke Hoskins and Marie Wise in 1651, at the town of Axmouth. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Osekin. This was dated 1274, in the "Hundred Rolls of London", during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.