NameCensus.

UK surname

Cockram

A surname derived from a hamlet or location containing the Old English elements "cocc" meaning a small stream and "ram" referring to a ram.

In the 1881 census there were 1,017 people recorded with the Cockram surname, ranking it #3,855 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,418, ranked #4,301, down from #3,855 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Devon, North Devon and Teignbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cockram is 1,654 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.4%.

1881 census count

1,017

Ranked #3,855

Modern count

1,418

2016, ranked #4,301

Peak year

1998

1,654 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cockram had 1,017 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,855 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,418 in 2016, ranked #4,301.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,608 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cockram surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cockram surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cockram 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 750 #3,537
1861 historical 616 #4,325
1881 historical 1,017 #3,855
1891 historical 1,122 #3,788
1901 historical 1,398 #3,599
1911 historical 1,608 #3,021
1997 modern 1,598 #3,705
1998 modern 1,654 #3,724
1999 modern 1,644 #3,777
2000 modern 1,628 #3,788
2001 modern 1,607 #3,761
2002 modern 1,628 #3,783
2003 modern 1,556 #3,870
2004 modern 1,538 #3,908
2005 modern 1,526 #3,892
2006 modern 1,516 #3,931
2007 modern 1,511 #3,975
2008 modern 1,511 #4,001
2009 modern 1,526 #4,053
2010 modern 1,518 #4,154
2011 modern 1,529 #4,088
2012 modern 1,450 #4,197
2013 modern 1,486 #4,180
2014 modern 1,482 #4,208
2015 modern 1,452 #4,243
2016 modern 1,418 #4,301

Geography

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Where Cockrams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, London parishes and Crediton, Colebroke, Shobrooke, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Cruwys Morchard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Devon, North Devon, Teignbridge and Bristol. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
4 London parishes London 3
5 Crediton, Colebroke, Shobrooke, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Cruwys Morchard Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Devon 002 Mid Devon
2 North Devon 013 North Devon
3 Mid Devon 004 Mid Devon
4 Teignbridge 006 Teignbridge
5 Bristol 046 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cockram

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cockram

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Cockram surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cockram household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Cockram 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

Cockram 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

Cockram falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cockram 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 Cockram, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cockram

The surname Cockram is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "cocc" or "cocca," meaning "a rooster," and "ram," meaning "a ram." The combination of these words suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname, referring to someone who was a breeder or keeper of roosters and rams.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cockram name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Norfolk from the year 1327, where a certain John Cockram is mentioned. Additionally, the Cockram surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Suffolk from the late 13th century, indicating the presence of families with this name in the region during that time.

In the 16th century, records show that a family by the name of Cockram resided in the village of Beccles, located in Suffolk. One notable member of this family was Thomas Cockram, who was born in 1545 and served as a churchwarden in the parish of St. Michael's in Beccles.

Another historical figure bearing the Cockram surname was Sir William Cockram, who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was a prominent merchant and landowner in Norfolk and is mentioned in various legal documents and land records from that period.

During the 17th century, the Cockram name also appears in the parish records of several villages in Norfolk, such as Swaffham and Litcham. One notable entry is the baptismal record of John Cockram, who was born in Litcham in 1642.

In the 18th century, a family by the name of Cockram owned a significant estate in the village of Melton Constable, Norfolk. The patriarch of this family was Robert Cockram, who was born in 1725 and served as a magistrate in the county.

Another individual of note was Elizabeth Cockram, born in 1789 in the village of Thornham, Norfolk. She married into the prominent Fowler family and became a renowned philanthropist, contributing to various charitable causes in the region.

While the Cockram surname is not as common today as it once was, it continues to have a strong historical presence, particularly in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, where it originated and flourished during the medieval and early modern periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cockram families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cockram 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. Devon leads with 475 Cockrams recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.07x.

County Total Index
Devon 475 23.07x
Gloucestershire 76 3.92x
Middlesex 75 0.76x
Yorkshire 74 0.75x
Lancashire 54 0.46x
Somerset 48 3.01x
Dorset 28 4.31x
Glamorgan 21 1.22x
Cheshire 20 0.92x
Warwickshire 19 0.76x
Derbyshire 18 1.16x
Surrey 18 0.37x
Staffordshire 15 0.45x
Kent 13 0.39x
Sussex 10 0.60x
Leicestershire 7 0.64x
Hampshire 6 0.30x
Hertfordshire 5 0.73x
Monmouthshire 5 0.70x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.67x
Essex 4 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.30x
Wiltshire 4 0.46x
Cornwall 3 0.27x
Berkshire 2 0.27x
Durham 2 0.07x
Royal Navy 2 1.70x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.32x
Shropshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tiverton in Devon leads with 38 Cockrams recorded in 1881 and an index of 107.13x.

Place Total Index
Tiverton 38 107.13x
Bishops Nympton 32 816.33x
Molland 26 1529.41x
Bow 25 905.80x
St Pancras London 23 2.89x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 21 11.50x
West Anstey 21 2658.23x
East Anstey 17 2125.00x
Toxteth Park 15 3.77x
Barnstaple 14 43.32x
Bedminster 14 9.36x
Bristol St James St Paul 13 20.10x
Clifton 13 13.25x
Plymouth St Andrew 13 8.20x
Bristol St Paul In 12 23.22x
Chawleigh 12 528.63x
Witheridge 12 345.82x
Bishopsteignton 11 282.05x
Chulmleigh 11 234.54x
Corscombe 11 497.74x
Dawlish 11 71.61x
Exeter Heavitree 11 71.66x
Altrincham 10 26.21x
Aston 10 1.46x
Llangeinor 10 98.62x
Stoke Damerel 10 6.94x
Barton Upon Irwell 9 10.19x
Birmingham 9 1.08x
Kensington London 9 1.64x
Knowstone 9 625.00x
Bristol St George 8 8.92x
Colaton Raleigh 8 314.96x
Exeter St Mary Major 8 64.46x
Exeter St Thomas The 8 38.11x
Gillingham 8 71.68x
Knutsford Nether 8 60.61x
Melcombe Regis 8 29.74x
St Marylebone London 8 1.51x
Stoke Newington London 8 10.38x
Streatham 8 10.90x
Winkleigh 8 193.70x
Brampford Speke 7 426.83x
Dulverton 7 150.21x
Exeter St David 7 39.80x
Garforth 7 93.33x
Houghton On The Hill 7 496.45x
Little Bolton 7 4.64x
Meshaw 7 1272.73x
Nether Hallam 7 5.28x
Plumstead 7 6.22x
Rose Ash 7 406.98x
St Stephen Coleman Street 7 201.73x
Wembworthy 7 476.19x
Buckland Monachorum 6 136.36x
Chard 6 31.10x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 12.72x
Frimley 6 43.70x
Highley St Mary 6 7500.00x
Leeds 6 1.08x
Oldham 6 1.58x
Portsea 6 1.51x
Preston 6 20.60x
Shoreditch London 6 1.40x
Standish With Langtree 6 41.52x
Wakefield 6 7.97x
West Teignmouth 6 38.10x
Broad Clist 5 70.42x
Exeter St Edmund 5 112.61x
Greenwich 5 3.18x
Holbeck 5 7.70x
Kingskerswell 5 146.20x
Merthyr Tydfil 5 3.02x
Normanton 5 16.98x
Redwick 5 568.18x
Sherburn 5 62.03x
Silverton 5 116.55x
Trentham 5 17.61x
Whiston 5 105.93x
Winscombe 5 116.28x
Zeal Monachorum 5 316.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 75
Elizabeth 46
Sarah 26
Ann 24
Jane 23
Eliza 18
Emma 15
Harriet 15
Lucy 14
Alice 13
Ellen 11
Emily 11
Florence 11
Susan 11
Annie 10
Martha 10
Bessie 7
Julia 7
Kate 7
Louisa 7
Margaret 7
Ada 6
Jessie 6
Edith 5
Fanny 5
Hannah 5
Rachel 5
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Lily 4
Minnie 4
Agnes 3
Gertrude 3
Isabella 3
Laura 3
Maria 3
Rhoda 3
Anna 2
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Caroline 2
Elizth. 2
Eva 2
Grace 2
Harriett 2
Kezia 2
Mercy 2
Nellie 2
Ruth 2
Elisth. 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Cockram surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cockram surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,017 people were recorded with the Cockram surname. That placed it at #3,855 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cockram surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,418 in 2016. That gives Cockram a modern rank of #4,301.

What does the Cockram surname mean?

A surname derived from a hamlet or location containing the Old English elements "cocc" meaning a small stream and "ram" referring to a ram.

What does the Cockram map show?

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