The village owes its name to the dominant position of the village church on the height of a moraine. It was probably founded around 1200 during the early settlement of the area.

The church was mentioned in the Ratzeburg tithe register around 1230 and belonged to the Ratzeburg diocese in the Middle Ages. When this church was built at the behest of the Bishop of Ratzeburg, the name "Honkerken" appeared and was mentioned in a document in 1260. Already half a century later, the noble sovereigns had taken over Hohenkirchen, who also received the church patronage from the bishop.

The present church is the second building and was constructed at the end of the 14th century.