I am researching the surname HAWKE (usually pronounced like the bird, that is, ''Hork'', by me anyway!) and doing a DNA study as well. One of my correspondents in America comes from a family of HOUKs, pronounced ''How-k''. I have found possible ancestors in Plymouth area who are HAWKs. Could it be that, on arrival in America in the 1700's an immigration clerk wrote down his name as he heard it said, and so spelled it this way. HAWKE is a common name in Cornwall going back to before 1500, and some were in Devon as well, especially in the SW of the county.