There were two surveys carried out in Devon in 1619 and 1626 of mariners. The intention was to identify men who might serve in future naval expeditions. The 1619 survey is the most complete but is restricted to South Devon; it was carried out at the request of the Duke of Buckingham, Lord High Admiral of England. A copy found its way into the hands of Samuel Pepys who was Chief Secretary to the Admiralty in the 1660s, and thence into the Pepys Library at Magdalene College, Cambridge. It was transcribed there by Todd Gray and published by the Devon and Cornwall Record Society as "Early-Stuart Mariners and Shipping, 1619-1635". That book also covers Sir James Bagg's survey of 1626, which also includes some North Devon and South Cornwall Parishes.
The 1619 survey is by far the most complete and detailed. For each man his age is given, and his occupation, but it isn't always clear that these are used consistently. For example Mariners may be regarded as more skilled or senior in comparison to Sailors, and sometimes they are distinguished. Fishermen and Shipwrights are also sometimes listed. It seems likely that the 1619 survey listed all men based in a parish, while the later survey lists fewer and they may only be the men who were at home at the time of the survey. The surveys may have been seen as lists of men who might in future be pressed into naval service, so there was probably an incentive not to take part. Nevertheless, these do give us lists of Hingstons (and variants) who existed at the time of the survey.
The distribution of names is largely as expected, with most being in coastal parishes. But there are significant numbers inland, uncluding places like South Brent and Buckfastleigh. Salcombe was a port but not a parish, so ships are listed there while the men are listed under Malborough. But there are some notable absences; Brixton, Churchstow and Loddiswell have no men listed. The most significant absence is the Ringmore (now part of Shaldon) on the south side of the Teign, where there were shipbuilding yards and where many ships were based. I have seen a report that says that Ringmore was listed twice but that this was corrected; this may reflect the fact that there ARE two Ringmores in Devon. Men are listed in the South Hams Ringmore.
The surveys also listed ships based in the various ports.
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Added 14th April 2023 C J Burgoyne