NameCensus.

UK surname

Cockfield

An English surname referring to a locality or someone living near a small field.

In the 1881 census there were 141 people recorded with the Cockfield surname, ranking it #16,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 164, ranked #22,314, down from #16,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, London parishes and Auckland St Andrew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Luton and Redcar and Cleveland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cockfield is 219 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.3%.

1881 census count

141

Ranked #16,091

Modern count

164

2016, ranked #22,314

Peak year

1911

219 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cockfield had 141 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016, ranked #22,314.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 219 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Cockfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cockfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cockfield 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 85 #18,940
1861 historical 137 #16,465
1881 historical 141 #16,091
1891 historical 167 #17,006
1901 historical 211 #14,647
1911 historical 219 #14,136
1997 modern 206 #17,315
1998 modern 215 #17,306
1999 modern 218 #17,258
2000 modern 215 #17,388
2001 modern 208 #17,513
2002 modern 217 #17,388
2003 modern 207 #17,746
2004 modern 199 #18,260
2005 modern 182 #19,259
2006 modern 189 #18,961
2007 modern 181 #19,680
2008 modern 184 #19,666
2009 modern 192 #19,527
2010 modern 196 #19,698
2011 modern 191 #19,871
2012 modern 188 #20,018
2013 modern 182 #20,795
2014 modern 183 #20,880
2015 modern 167 #22,066
2016 modern 164 #22,314

Geography

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Where Cockfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, London parishes, Auckland St Andrew, Warsill, Ripon (Newby-with-Mulwith, Ripon) and Catterick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Luton, Redcar and Cleveland and Richmondshire. 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 Darlington Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Auckland St Andrew Durham
4 Warsill, Ripon (Newby-with-Mulwith, Ripon) Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Catterick Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 058 Cornwall
2 Luton 008 Luton
3 Redcar and Cleveland 007 Redcar and Cleveland
4 Luton 001 Luton
5 Richmondshire 003 Richmondshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cockfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cockfield

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cockfield, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Cockfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Cockfield household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Cockfield is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cockfield is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cockfield falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cockfield

The surname Cockfield originates from England and dates back to the 12th century. It is a locational surname, derived from the place name Cockfield, which can be found in various counties across England, including Suffolk, Durham, and Yorkshire. The name likely comes from the Old English words "cocc," meaning a small hill or tumulus, and "feld," meaning a field or open land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cockfield appears in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1204, where a John de Cockfield is mentioned. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a reference to a William de Cokefeld in the county of Norfolk. The Cockfield surname is also listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327, indicating its presence in that region during the 14th century.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Cockfield surname. However, it does mention several places with similar names, such as Cocfeld in Gloucestershire and Cocfelt in Derbyshire, suggesting that the name may have existed in its earlier forms.

One notable historical figure bearing the Cockfield surname was Sir Robert Cockfield (c. 1510-1567), an English politician and landowner from Upton, Worcestershire. He served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire in 1555 and was knighted in 1560. Another individual of note was Edward Cockfield (1591-1665), an English-born Anglican clergyman who served as the Bishop of Elphin in Ireland.

In the 17th century, the Cockfield name appeared in various records, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1665, where a Thomas Cockfield is listed in the parish of Brockley, Somerset. John Cockfield (1672-1739) was an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Winchelsea from 1708 to 1722.

The 18th century saw the emergence of other notable individuals with the Cockfield surname, such as James Cockfield (1733-1797), an English architect and surveyor who designed several churches and public buildings in London. William Cockfield (1768-1845) was a British naval officer who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

Throughout its history, the Cockfield surname has been found in various spellings, including Cockefeld, Cockefield, and Cokefeld, reflecting regional variations and changes in orthography over time. While the name has been primarily associated with England, it has also been carried by individuals and families who migrated to other parts of the world, contributing to its global presence and diversity.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cockfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cockfield 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. Yorkshire leads with 69 Cockfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.06x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 69 5.06x
Durham 46 11.24x
Westmorland 10 33.08x
Northumberland 6 2.93x
Lancashire 4 0.25x
Hampshire 2 0.71x
Middlesex 2 0.15x
Kent 1 0.21x
Surrey 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Darlington in Durham leads with 12 Cockfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 75.95x.

Place Total Index
Darlington 12 75.95x
Dawdon 12 238.57x
Ripon 10 316.46x
Pinchinthorpe 9 15000.00x
Greatham 8 2285.71x
Ormesby 8 218.58x
Newbiggin 7 10000.00x
Constable Burton 5 5000.00x
Garriston 5 50000.00x
Barnard Castle 4 198.02x
Bishopwearmouth 4 11.39x
Blatchinworth 4 107.53x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 32.73x
Sowerby In Thirsk 4 487.80x
York All Sts North 4 597.01x
Linthorpe 3 36.90x
Middleton Tyas 3 1153.85x
Aldershot 2 21.19x
Appleby St Michael 2 294.12x
Bingfield 2 6666.67x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 7.22x
Hornby In Northallerton 2 1666.67x
Melsonby 2 800.00x
Middleton In Teesdale 2 185.19x
St Marylebone London 2 2.72x
Aldbrough In Richmond 1 526.32x
Catterick 1 322.58x
Croft 1 400.00x
Deptford St Paul 1 2.76x
East Witton Without 1 1000.00x
Horton In Bradford 1 4.70x
Hurworth 1 138.89x
Kirby Fleetham 1 384.62x
Lambeth 1 0.83x
Langleydale Shotton 1 1000.00x
Langthorne 1 1666.67x
Middlesbrough 1 5.63x
Milbourne 1 909.09x
Shildon 1 30.40x
Spennithorne 1 1111.11x
Stockton On Tees 1 5.07x
Tunstall In Richmond 1 909.09x
Yarm 1 142.86x
York St Mary 1 17.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 11
Margaret 8
Jane 7
Mary 6
Hannah 4
Ada 3
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Isabella 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Margery 2
Sarah 2
Amelia 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Jessie 1
June 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
Susannah 1
Sussanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
Joseph 10
George 8
William 8
James 6
Thomas 6
Robert 3
Philip 2
Thos. 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Edmund 1
Edwd. 1
Henry 1
Park 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cockfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cockfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 141 people were recorded with the Cockfield surname. That placed it at #16,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cockfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016. That gives Cockfield a modern rank of #22,314.

What does the Cockfield surname mean?

An English surname referring to a locality or someone living near a small field.

What does the Cockfield map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cockfield 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.