The Hockin Family Tree

The Hockin Coat of Arms

I have found many sources supporting both the existence and form of the Hockin coat of arms, including crest and motto. There are some slight disparities of spelling between them, abbreviations, and some omissions of text.

As I have not personally seen the original grant of arms, I have only these historical sources on which to rely. Included here are cited quotations from various sources, including what claims to be a complete copy of the original grant of arms, produced by a representative of the College of Arms.

Lastly, there is some dispute as to whether the arms are granted "by the Queen", thereby passing to all descendants, male and female, or is merely granted by the College of Heralds (College of Arms), thereby passing only to male descendants. On this matter Dave Hockin claims second-hand information from Miss LaTouche, but I have not been able to verify it. By the time the arms were granted (1764) Queen Anne had long since died (1714) and been succeeded by George I, George II, and George III.

Tim Hockin 2010

From "Arms and Pedigree of Kingdon-Gould", which includes a letter from W. A. Lindsay, College of Arms, London, dated 24 Feb, 1905, including a reproduction of the Hockin grant of arms:

TO ALL AND SINGULAR, to whom these Presents shall come Stephen Martin Leake, Esquire, Garter Principal King of Arms & Sir Charles Townley, Knt. Clarenceux King of Arms of the South, East and West Parts of England from the River Trent Southwards send Greeting: WHEREAS those ancient Badges or Ensigns of Gentility commonly called or Known by the name of Arms have heretofore been and still are continued to be conferred upon deserving Persons to distinguish them from the Common Sort of People who neither can or may pretend to use them without lawful authority. AND WHEREAS John Hockin, Clerk, Master of Arts, Vicar of Oakhampton, Rector of Lydford, in the County of Devon, and Chaplain to the Right Honorable George Lord Lyttleton hath represented unto the Right Honorable Henry Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire Deputy with the Royal Approbation, to the Most Noble Edward Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshall and Hereditary Marshal of England, That he is the only Son of Thomas Hockin of Caduscott in the parish of Liskeard and County of Cornwall, Gentleman by Miriam his Wife, Daughter of James Ellis of Camborn in the said County and grandson of John Hockin of Godrevy in the Parish of Gwythian and County of Cornwall, aforesaid, and that he is desirous of having a Coat of Arms and Crest granted which may allude to the following Event in his Family: In Time of War with France, at the Beginning of Queen Anne's Reign a large French Privateer cruising in the Bristol Channel came to an Anchor off an Estate called Godrevey then in Possession of John Hockin his grandfather before mentioned who was one of the principal Inhabitants of the parish, and it being conjectured that the Privateer's Intent was to send in her boat to plunder the House, which stood alone, and carry off the Cattle from the estate; The said John Hockin and his Family were alarmed and collected their Friends and Neighbours to Keep Watch that Night on the Cliff or Beach. At Daybreak they all dispersed, thinking the Danger over, but just as Thomas Hockin his Father aforesaid, then a young man, was getting into Bed another Person whose Fears had led him out more than once to take a View, came in a great Hurry and told him that a Boat full of Men was making for the Shore as fast as they could row, on which the said Thomas Hockin slipped on his Clothes and catching up a Gun and a Pole to feign the appearance of another, ran out and down a steep hill to the Sea in sight of the Boat, from whence he was fired at several Times, then got behind a Rock, which served him as a Breast work, and from thence with his one Gun only fired on the Boat with so much Vigour and Effect as to prevent the Crew's landing, and at last make them turn about and row back again to their Ship as fast as they could; for preserving the memory of this brave action or rather Providential Deliverance, The said John Hockin did request his Lordship's Warrant for our devising, granting and assigning to him and his Descendants & to the Descendants of his said father Thomas Hockin, his Brothers and their Descendants such Arms and Crest as may allude to the above Event, and be lawfully borne by Him and Them; and that the same with his Family Pedigree may be register'd with the Gentry of this Kingdom in the Heralds Office. And forasmuch as His Lordship duly considering the Premises did by Warrant under his Hand and Seal bearing date the Twenty Eighth day of April last past order and direct Us to devise grant and assign such Arms and Crest accordingly: Know ye therefore that We the said Garter and Clarenceux in pursuance of the Consent of the said Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire, and by Virtue of the Letters Patent of Our Several Offices to each of Us respectively granted under the Great Seal of Great Britain, have devised for and do by these Presents grant and assign unto the said John Hockln the Arms following, that is to say Per Fess Wavy Gules and Azure, a Lyon passant guardant Or, beneath his Feet a Musket lying horizontally Proper, and semy of Fleurs de Lis confusedly dispersed of the Third, And for the Crest On a Wreath of the Colours a Rock therefrom a Sea Gull rising Proper, with this Motto HOC IN LOCO DEUS RUPES, as the same are in the margin hereof, more plainly depicted; to be borne & used for Ever hereafter by him the said John Hockin, and his Descendants, and by the Descendants of his Father Thomas Hockin, his Brothers and their Descendants, with their due and proper Differences according to the ancient Practice and Custom of Arms, without the Let or Interruption of any Person or Persons whatsoever: In Witness whereof We the said Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms have to these Presents subscribed Our Names and affixed the Seals of our several Offices this seventh Day of May, in the fourth year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the Grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith, &c.: and in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty four.

Martin Leake, Garter Principal King of Arms Charles Townley, Clarenceux King of Arms.

The story and blazon portions of the above grant were reproduced in part and with minor textual edits in "A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland" volume II.

From "A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry":

Per fesse wavy gules and azure; [in chief] a lion passant guardant or, beneath the feet a musket lying horizontally proper; [the base] semy of fleurs-de-lis confusedly dispersed of the third. -Hockin, co. Devon, 1764.

From "Fairbairn's Book of Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland":

Hockin, Devonsh., on a rock a sea-gull rising, all ppr. Hoc in loco Deus rupes.

From "The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales":

Hockin (Lydford, co. Devon; granted 1764). Per fesse wavy gu. and az. a lion pass. guard. or, beneath the feet a musket lying horizontally ppr. semee of fleurs-de-lis, confusedly dispersed, of the third. Crest- On a rock a seagull rising, all ppr. Motto- Hoc in loco Deus rupes.

From "Armorial Families" volume I:

HOCKIN (H. Coll., 1764). Per fesse wavy gules and azure, a lion passant guardant or, beneath the feet a musket lying horizontally proper, semee of fleurs-de-lys of the third. Mantling gules and or. Crest- Upon a wreath of the colours, on a rock, a seagull rising proper. Motto- "Hoc in loco Deus rupes."

From "An Alphabetical Dictionary of Coats of Arms Belonging to Families in Great Britain and Ireland" volumes I and II:

Per fess wavy gu. and az. a lion pass. guard. or beneath the feet a musket lying horizontally ppr. semy of fleurs-de-lis confusedly dispersed of the third. Hockin, Lydford, co. Devon; granted 1764.

From "Encyclopaedia Heraldica" volume II part 1:

Hockin, [Lydford, Devonshire,] per fesse, wavy, gu. and az. a lion, passant, guardant, or, beneath his feet a musket, lying horizontally, ppr. semee of fleurs-de-lis, confusedly dispersed of the third. Crest, on a rock, a sea-gull, rising, all ppr. [Granted 1764.]

From "Encyclopaedia Heraldica" volume I, a translation of the motto:

Here God is a rock - Hockin, Esq.