Alfred John & Alice HOOKINS (Tree 3N)

This is post number 100 on the Hookinslinks blog and features Alfred John HOOKINS who appeared in the previous posting as a child. He grew up to be a soldier and is pictured displaying his Corporal stripes with his wife Alice. Alfred served in both the Boer War and the 1st World War. I am again indebted to Eric for this picture.

William & Sarah HOOKINS (Tree 3N)

I put some posts on the blog back in June and July about William HOOKINS who was in the Crimean War, later a Prison Guard and later still a Chelsea Pensioner. I am indebted to Eric who has sent me another picture of William taken with his wife Sarah, son Alfred John and niece Lizzie. Apparently Sarah's brother George married William's sister Mary-Ann so there were 2 weddings between the families. Judging by Alfred this picture will have been taken towards the end of the 1870s so it's great to have it and to make it available to a wider viewing audience. Many thanks Eric.

HOOKINS in the 1911 Census

I have just finished indexing the 1911 Census and of the 262 people transcribed on the Census website as HOOKINS I have found 26 who are HOOKINGS and 44 who appear to be HOSKINS. All of these are found in 81 different family units. Most of the HOSKINS names would not appear to be people connected to the HOOKINS name but some of the HOOKINGS people may well be just spelt incorrectly as I think some of them do fit in. So the total number of HOOKINS accounted for is going to lie somewhere between 192 and 218 which compares well with the number I put as an estimate of those currently holding the name. The good news therefore is that we are between us keeping the name going. Having fathered two daughters I realise that I am not properly pulling my weight so thanks to those of you who have contributed to the male line and therefore the continuance of the name.

How Popular Are We?

Having printed off all th Census pages for 1911 where a HOOKINS (and some labelled as HOOKINS but probably not because of 1911 handwriting and 2011 readers!) appears and I am now indexing those before adding details gleaned to the individual records. I have also started indexing the web page and other prints I have for births, baptisms, banns, marriages, deaths and burials so it is easier for reference purposes and also avoiding duplication.
I have come across some new sites to glean information and I have just established that there are about 280 people in England & Wales who currently hold the HOOKINS name. Eventually I will have indexed some of the Censuses and will be able to see if we are expanding as a name or gradually leaving the human race!
In answer to the question "How Popular Are We" it seems that we hold =17023rd place in England & Wales but there are over 270,000 different surnames so in that case we are pretty popular.
You may also be interested to know that there are 2038 people called CHRISTMAS, 40 SANTAs, 323 RUDOLPHs, 7 NEWYEARs, 678 HOLLYs, 5947 SNOWs, 1556 SNOWBALLs, 38 SNOWMANs (SNOWMEN?) and 18,440 WINTERs in England and Wales.There are also 27 DASHERs, 1104 DANCERs, 307 PRANCEs (no PRANCERs), 89 VICKERSONs (no VIXEN), 9 COMETs, 77 CUPIDs, 380 DONNERs and 82 BLITZ (but no BLITZEN).