It is known that there were Hingstons in Ireland. It is assumed that they were immigrants from England, although at the moment we only have fragmentary evidence.
In John O'Hart's book, The Irish and Anglo-Irish landed Gentry, reference is made to a James Hingston who received an estate under the Williamite Confiscations in 1688.
The same book refers to Isabella Hingston, daughter of Rev. James Hingston of Aglish in Co. Cork, who married (as the 2nd wife), Sir James Laurence Cotter, Bart., of Rockforest, M.P., born 1748, died 9 Feb 1829.
Hingston, James Richard William, the first son of James of Coachford, Co. Cork, Gent. attended Oxford University 1877 - 1881.
The IGI lists a few Hingstons around Cork.
The Vine Tree makes several references to an Irish branch of the family. It is implicit in what is written there that these Hingstons are related to the Holbeton Hingstons, but unfortunately the details are in the missing tree. The tree makes reference to Hingstons at Cloyne (which is near Cork), Inchcore (which I think is now a suburb of Dublin), and Whitehall (which I have not yet identified). William Hales Hingston, who is descended from the the Cloyne family was certainly a Catholic - he is mentioned in the Catholic Encyclopaedia.
The Colonel John Hinkson, who is the patriarch of the family studied by the HINKSON-L mailing list and who achieved fame in Kentucky, was of Irish extraction. It is possible he is related to the Hingstons with just a simple change of spelling.
There is clearly scope for a study of Irish documents to see how these people all fit together - unfortunately most of the civil and church records in Ireland have been lost. If anyone has more information to go here, please let me know.
Page written 25/4/1999. Chris Burgoyne