Hincke meaning | Last name Hincke origin

Variation of the Hinks. Properly Henks, from Henry; so Jenks from John, and Wilks from William.

Hincke is a variant form of the Hincks. A diminutive of Henry, just as Wilkes is of William, Pirkes or Perkes of Peter, etc. A Chester family of this name were written Hinckes, temp. James I., and the word appears to have been pronounced as a dissyllable-Hinck-es. A century later, in order to prevent a crasis of the two syllables, an apostrophe replaced the disused E, and the name for two generations was actually written Hinck's. Inf. Edward Hincks.

Etymologist Ferguson, has a much more dignified origin for this surname. "Hinks," he says, "is no doubt a corruption of HENGIST or HINGEST, which signifies a stallion. Some traditions make Hengist a Frisian, in which language the word is hingst, which approaches nearer to Hincks. In the names of places, Hengist has become changed into Hinks, as in Hinksey, county o Berks," which, according to the Codex Diplomaticus, was in Saxon times written Hengestesige.