NameCensus.

UK surname

Bocock

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "brook" or "stream".

In the 1881 census there were 363 people recorded with the Bocock surname, ranking it #8,545 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 216, ranked #18,613, down from #8,545 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Calverley, Lincoln St Botolph and Wickhambrook. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Cotswold and Lincoln.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bocock is 453 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 40.5%.

1881 census count

363

Ranked #8,545

Modern count

216

2016, ranked #18,613

Peak year

1911

453 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bocock had 363 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,545 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016, ranked #18,613.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 453 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Bocock surname distribution map

The map shows where the Bocock surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Bocock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bocock over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 265 #8,395
1861 historical 350 #7,295
1881 historical 363 #8,545
1891 historical 439 #8,224
1901 historical 440 #8,843
1911 historical 453 #8,460
1997 modern 271 #14,486
1998 modern 277 #14,646
1999 modern 265 #15,187
2000 modern 262 #15,272
2001 modern 259 #15,151
2002 modern 258 #15,485
2003 modern 257 #15,341
2004 modern 241 #16,086
2005 modern 228 #16,683
2006 modern 227 #16,842
2007 modern 226 #17,103
2008 modern 227 #17,196
2009 modern 226 #17,587
2010 modern 219 #18,319
2011 modern 209 #18,730
2012 modern 211 #18,539
2013 modern 215 #18,598
2014 modern 219 #18,523
2015 modern 215 #18,659
2016 modern 216 #18,613

Geography

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Where Bococks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Calverley, Lincoln St Botolph, Wickhambrook, Collingham, South and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Cotswold, Lincoln, South Staffordshire and East Lindsey. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
3 Wickhambrook Suffolk
4 Collingham, South Nottinghamshire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 018 North Lincolnshire
2 Cotswold 001 Cotswold
3 Lincoln 002 Lincoln
4 South Staffordshire 001 South Staffordshire
5 East Lindsey 003 East Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bocock

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bocock surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bocock

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bocock, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Bocock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Bocock household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Bocock is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bocock is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bocock falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bocock is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bocock, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bocock

The surname Bocock is of English origin, with roots that can be traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "boc" and "cocc," which together translate to "book-cock" or "he who crows like a book." This peculiar name may have originally been a nickname for a literate person or a scribe.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Bocock can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where a William Bocock was listed as a resident of Oxfordshire. Another early reference to the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, mentioning a John Bocock.

During the 16th century, the Bocock family was well-established in various parts of England, particularly in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire. One notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert Bocock (1548-1621), a wealthy landowner and magistrate from Staffordshire.

In the 17th century, the Bocock surname gained prominence in Worcestershire, where several members of the family held positions of importance. One such individual was Thomas Bocock (1612-1685), a renowned clergyman who served as the Rector of Tardebigge and wrote several religious works.

The 18th century saw the migration of some Bocock families to the American colonies. Among them was Thomas Bocock (1717-1792), who settled in Virginia and became a prominent planter and landowner. His descendants included Thomas S. Bocock (1815-1892), a politician who served as the Speaker of the Confederate States House of Representatives during the American Civil War.

Another notable figure bearing the Bocock surname was Sir William Wyndham Bocock (1786-1861), an English artist and engraver who was elected as a Royal Academician in 1857. His works included portraits of notable figures such as Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens.

Throughout its history, the Bocock surname has been subject to various spellings, including Bowcock, Bockock, and Bocooke. Despite its unusual origin, the name has persisted over the centuries, with numerous individuals carrying on the Bocock legacy across different fields and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bocock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bocock surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lincolnshire leads with 91 Bococks recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.07x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 91 16.07x
Yorkshire 63 1.80x
Lancashire 59 1.40x
Suffolk 36 8.35x
Nottinghamshire 30 6.29x
Cambridgeshire 21 9.36x
Middlesex 17 0.48x
Northumberland 14 2.66x
Essex 8 1.14x
Surrey 5 0.29x
Kent 4 0.33x
Northamptonshire 4 1.20x
Warwickshire 4 0.45x
Sussex 3 0.50x
Hampshire 1 0.14x
Leicestershire 1 0.25x
Norfolk 1 0.18x
Staffordshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Little Bolton in Lancashire leads with 33 Bococks recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.09x.

Place Total Index
Little Bolton 33 61.09x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 10 123.61x
South Collingham 10 1063.83x
Wickhambrook 9 555.56x
Huddersfield 8 15.65x
Newcastle On Tyne St 8 29.29x
Nottingham St Mary 8 6.48x
Ashley Cum Silverley 7 1186.44x
Gainsborough 7 52.43x
Gazeley 7 693.07x
Hammersmith London 7 8.02x
Legsby 7 1707.32x
Manningham 7 16.19x
Allerton 6 134.23x
Bramham Cum Oglethorpe 6 428.57x
Kirtling 6 600.00x
Leeds 6 3.03x
Louth 6 46.23x
Radford 6 24.74x
Tynemouth 6 21.26x
Wold Newton 6 3000.00x
Belchford 5 847.46x
Birkdale 5 47.04x
Dunholme 5 1020.41x
Great Warley 5 316.46x
Manchester 5 2.65x
Market Rasen 5 158.23x
Shepley 5 259.07x
St Michael Lincoln 5 326.80x
St Swithin Lincoln 5 56.18x
Aston 4 1.63x
Balsham 4 325.20x
Bedford 4 45.51x
Bradford 4 4.71x
Camberwell 4 1.77x
Dalton In Huddersfield 4 50.89x
Fiskerton 4 754.72x
Goulsbey 4 1333.33x
Harts Grounds 4 4000.00x
Islington London 4 1.17x
Kensington London 4 2.03x
Lavenham 4 176.99x
Peterborough 4 16.59x
Ashby 3 169.49x
Basford 3 13.64x
Brighton 3 2.49x
Caistor 3 133.33x
Clayton 3 34.92x
Dewsbury 3 8.34x
Everton 3 2.24x
Folkestone 3 12.80x
Frodingham 3 148.51x
Holy Trinity 3 3.55x
Irby On Humber 3 1111.11x
Newark Upon Trent 3 17.49x
Newmarket All Sts 3 181.82x
Waltham 3 333.33x
Appleby 2 303.03x
Beswick 2 18.60x
Colne Engaine 2 317.46x
Cottingham 2 26.46x
Newmarket St Mary 2 60.42x
Newton 2 6.18x
Pendleton In Salford 2 4.00x
Snaith Cowick 2 95.24x
Chelsea London 1 0.94x
Clapham 1 2.26x
Crumpsall 1 10.10x
Great Yarmouth 1 2.22x
Leicester St Mary 1 3.15x
Leyton Low 1 7.04x
Lidgate 1 196.08x
Martin In Sleaford 1 101.01x
Northolme 1 416.67x
Otley 1 11.74x
Ranby 1 625.00x
Rotherham 1 5.06x
Rothwell 1 312.50x
Theddlethorpe All Sts 1 250.00x
Thoresway 1 322.58x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bocock surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bocock surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 29
William 23
George 13
James 12
Thomas 11
Charles 10
Robert 9
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
David 4
Joseph 4
Ernest 3
Henry 3
Tom 3
Edward 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Rd. 2
Richard 2
Robt. 2
Stephen 2
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Enoch 1
Everard 1
Foster 1
Frankpetah 1
Fred 1
Hadfield 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Hobson 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Leonard 1
Luther 1
Mark 1
Octavius 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Robinson 1
Samuel 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Wallis 1
Wm.P. 1

FAQ

Bocock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bocock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 363 people were recorded with the Bocock surname. That placed it at #8,545 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bocock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016. That gives Bocock a modern rank of #18,613.

What does the Bocock surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "brook" or "stream".

What does the Bocock map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bocock bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.