UK surname
An anglicized Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Corcráin meaning "descendant of Corcráin".
In the 1881 census there were 214 people recorded with the Cockran surname, ranking it #12,284 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 24, ranked #36,392, down from #12,284 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Toxteth Park and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cockran is 214 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 88.8%.
1881 census count
214
Ranked #12,284
Modern count
24
2016, ranked #36,392
Peak year
1881
214 bearers
Map years
5
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Cockran surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Cockran surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 147 | #13,084 |
| 1861 | historical | 146 | #15,628 |
| 1881 | historical | 214 | #12,284 |
| 1891 | historical | 182 | #15,983 |
| 1901 | historical | 147 | #18,270 |
| 1911 | historical | 81 | #24,719 |
| 1997 | modern | 18 | #36,053 |
| 1998 | modern | 22 | #35,687 |
| 1999 | modern | 19 | #36,041 |
| 2000 | modern | 22 | #35,684 |
| 2001 | modern | 25 | #35,248 |
| 2002 | modern | 26 | #35,338 |
| 2003 | modern | 24 | #35,552 |
| 2004 | modern | 22 | #35,878 |
| 2005 | modern | 22 | #35,993 |
| 2006 | modern | 22 | #36,105 |
| 2007 | modern | 19 | #36,450 |
| 2008 | modern | 20 | #36,443 |
| 2009 | modern | 26 | #36,111 |
| 2010 | modern | 28 | #36,084 |
| 2011 | modern | 28 | #36,071 |
| 2012 | modern | 24 | #36,288 |
| 2013 | modern | 29 | #36,040 |
| 2014 | modern | 27 | #36,180 |
| 2015 | modern | 25 | #36,297 |
| 2016 | modern | 24 | #36,392 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Toxteth Park, St Pancras, Manchester and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | Toxteth Park | Lancashire |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Brighton | Sussex |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Cockran surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cockran, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Cockran surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Cockran household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Cockran is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cockran is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Cockran, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Cockran is believed to have originated in Scotland, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "cocrann," which means "crooked" or "bent," possibly referring to a physical characteristic or a geographical feature associated with the name's bearer.
One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Scottish Parish Records of Lanarkshire, where a John Cockrane is mentioned in 1642. Another notable early reference is in the Glasgow Registers, where a William Cockran is recorded in 1696.
The name Cockran is closely related to the more common Scottish surname Cochrane, which shares a similar etymology and is believed to have originated from the same root word. Both names were often interchangeable in historical records, with variations in spelling such as Cochrane, Cochrann, and Cochranne being prevalent.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Cockran, a Scottish knight who fought in the Battle of Flodden Field in 1513. He was recorded as having been knighted on the battlefield by King James IV of Scotland for his bravery and valor.
Another notable figure bearing the Cockran surname was Sir William Cockran, who served as a Scottish diplomat in the late 16th century. He was appointed as an ambassador to the court of Queen Elizabeth I of England and played a crucial role in negotiating treaties between the two kingdoms.
In the 18th century, a prominent member of the Cockran family was Robert Cockran (1719-1794), a Scottish philosopher and writer who published several works on moral philosophy and ethics. His treatise "An Inquiry into the Nature and Cause of Moral Sentiment" was widely influential during the Scottish Enlightenment.
The name Cockran also has connections to various Scottish place names, including Cockran Burn, a stream in East Ayrshire, and Cockran Hill, a geographical feature in the Scottish Borders region. These place names may have influenced the development and spread of the surname in different parts of Scotland.
Throughout history, the Cockran surname has been associated with various notable individuals, including military figures, diplomats, philosophers, and scholars, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who bore this Scottish name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cockran surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 45 Cockrans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.15x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 45 | 2.15x |
| Lancashire | 27 | 1.08x |
| Surrey | 22 | 2.15x |
| Cheshire | 16 | 3.46x |
| Gloucestershire | 15 | 3.65x |
| Sussex | 15 | 4.24x |
| Yorkshire | 12 | 0.58x |
| Hampshire | 7 | 1.63x |
| Nottinghamshire | 7 | 2.48x |
| Northumberland | 6 | 1.92x |
| Warwickshire | 6 | 1.13x |
| Devon | 5 | 1.15x |
| Wigtownshire | 5 | 17.95x |
| Glamorgan | 4 | 1.10x |
| Kent | 4 | 0.56x |
| Lanarkshire | 4 | 0.59x |
| Worcestershire | 4 | 1.46x |
| Oxfordshire | 2 | 1.54x |
| Staffordshire | 2 | 0.28x |
| Aberdeenshire | 1 | 0.51x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 0.30x |
| Dorset | 1 | 0.73x |
| Durham | 1 | 0.16x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.24x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 4.00x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.30x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chelsea London in Middlesex leads with 16 Cockrans recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.32x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cockran surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 13 |
| Sarah | 7 |
| Annie | 5 |
| Elizabeth | 5 |
| Ellen | 4 |
| Emma | 4 |
| Isabella | 4 |
| Alice | 3 |
| Ann | 3 |
| Hannah | 3 |
| Harriet | 3 |
| Julia | 3 |
| Margaret | 3 |
| Eliza | 2 |
| Emily | 2 |
| Esther | 2 |
| Gertrude | 2 |
| Jane | 2 |
| Louisa | 2 |
| Matilda | 2 |
| Alda | 1 |
| An | 1 |
| Anna | 1 |
| Annah | 1 |
| Bridget | 1 |
| Catherine | 1 |
| Cecil | 1 |
| Cecilia | 1 |
| Drusill | 1 |
| Eda | 1 |
| Eleanor | 1 |
| Emilie | 1 |
| Ethel | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| Isabel | 1 |
| Jesse | 1 |
| Kate | 1 |
| Livenia | 1 |
| Maggie | 1 |
| Margreat | 1 |
| Margut | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Minne | 1 |
| Minny | 1 |
| Nell | 1 |
| Phoebe | 1 |
| Rose | 1 |
| Susanah | 1 |
| Susannah | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cockran surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| William | 13 |
| Thomas | 12 |
| John | 9 |
| James | 6 |
| Henry | 5 |
| Alfred | 4 |
| Charles | 4 |
| David | 3 |
| Frank | 3 |
| George | 3 |
| Christopher | 2 |
| Dennis | 2 |
| Francis | 2 |
| Joseph | 2 |
| Samuel | 2 |
| Aaron | 1 |
| Alexr. | 1 |
| Andrew | 1 |
| Anthony | 1 |
| Aron | 1 |
| Arthur | 1 |
| Chas. | 1 |
| Dan. | 1 |
| Daniel | 1 |
| Edward | 1 |
| Edwin | 1 |
| Ernest | 1 |
| Herman | 1 |
| Isaac | 1 |
| J. | 1 |
| Jack | 1 |
| Lawrence | 1 |
| Martin | 1 |
| Michael | 1 |
| Nathan | 1 |
| Patrick | 1 |
| Regd.P. | 1 |
| Richard | 1 |
| Robert | 1 |
| Sultan | 1 |
| Timothy | 1 |
| W. | 1 |
| Walter | 1 |
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Cockran households.
FAQ
In 1881, 214 people were recorded with the Cockran surname. That placed it at #12,284 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 24 in 2016. That gives Cockran a modern rank of #36,392.
An anglicized Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Corcráin meaning "descendant of Corcráin".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cockran bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.