Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Hauekechirch(e) 13 Weld2 1208 Cur 1308 Drew

• Hauekecherche 1292 Pap 1344 Cerne 14

• Hauekechurch(e) 1305 Drew 1311 Ass

• Hauekx 1235 Cerne 14

• Hauuekecherche 1244 Ass

• Havekechirche 1291 Tax

• Hauakecherc(h)(e) 1344 Cerne 14

• Avekechirche 1262 Pap

• Avekechurch 1291 Tax

• Auekechurch 1340 NI 1428 FA

• Hawk(e)chirche 1297 1399 et freq

• Hawk(e)church(e) 1301 Pole 1459 Ch

• Hawk(e)cherch' 1365 Brid

• Havkechurch' 1426 HarlCh

• Hawkechurch(e) 1493 Ipm 1561,1571 Pole

• Hauchurch 1632,1685–8 Pole

Etymology

'H(e)afoc's church', from an OE  or eME  pers.n. *H (e )afoc (from the word h(e)afoc 'hawk', cf. Tengvik 186, 221) and cirice. The man in question may have founded or endowed the church, cf. Beaminster and Yetminster both infra . For the 17th-cent. spellings Hau -, cf. Hutch3 446: 'The parish of Hawkchurch, or, as it is more commonly called by the country people, Haychurch.'