This interesting surname is a patronymic of Hoskin, which is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is from the Middle English (1200 - 1500) given name 'Osekin', a diminutive of the various personal names with the Old English pre 7th Century first element 'os', god, similar to the Old Norse 'as', and 'cyning', king. The addition in English of an inorganic H- to names beginning with a vowel is a relatively common phenomenon. The surname development since 1274 (see below) includes the following: Peter Osekyn (1306, Essex), Thomas Hoskyns (1463, Berkshire) and William Hoskyn (1472, Kent). The surname is very common in Devon and can be found as Hoskin, Hoskyn, Hosken and Hosking, the patronymics include Hoskin(g)s, Hosky(n)s, Huskinson, Hoskis(s)on and Huskisson. Among the sample recordings in London are the marriages of Job Huskinson and Ann O'Brien on May 23rd 1802 at St. Clement Danes, Westminster, and of Henry Huskinson and Jemima Greener on September 24th 1843 at St. Anne's, Soho, Westminster. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Osekin, which 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.

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