NameCensus.

UK surname

Cockrell

An English occupational surname for a breeder or keeper of roosters and cockerels.

In the 1881 census there were 312 people recorded with the Cockrell surname, ranking it #9,451 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 316, ranked #14,227, down from #9,451 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) and Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bassetlaw, Rotherham and Pembrokeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cockrell is 426 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.3%.

1881 census count

312

Ranked #9,451

Modern count

316

2016, ranked #14,227

Peak year

1911

426 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cockrell had 312 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,451 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 316 in 2016, ranked #14,227.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 426 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cockrell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cockrell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cockrell 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 227 #9,448
1861 historical 263 #9,423
1881 historical 312 #9,451
1891 historical 346 #9,920
1901 historical 321 #11,118
1911 historical 426 #8,856
1997 modern 362 #11,866
1998 modern 360 #12,300
1999 modern 351 #12,582
2000 modern 353 #12,480
2001 modern 342 #12,566
2002 modern 345 #12,754
2003 modern 337 #12,759
2004 modern 329 #13,027
2005 modern 314 #13,403
2006 modern 308 #13,669
2007 modern 305 #13,891
2008 modern 311 #13,800
2009 modern 333 #13,434
2010 modern 352 #13,187
2011 modern 340 #13,375
2012 modern 335 #13,408
2013 modern 339 #13,477
2014 modern 333 #13,770
2015 modern 332 #13,705
2016 modern 316 #14,227

Geography

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Where Cockrells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a and Gorleston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bassetlaw, Rotherham, Pembrokeshire, Arun and Coventry. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
5 Gorleston Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bassetlaw 001 Bassetlaw
2 Rotherham 005 Rotherham
3 Pembrokeshire 010 Pembrokeshire
4 Arun 011 Arun
5 Coventry 013 Coventry

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cockrell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cockrell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cockrell, 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 Cockrell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cockrell 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cockrell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cockrell 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

Cockrell 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 Cockrell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cockrell

The surname Cockrell is an English habitational name derived from the Old English words "cocc" meaning a small hill or hillock, and "hyll" meaning a hill. It originated in the medieval period and is believed to have first appeared in various areas of central England, particularly in Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Cockrell dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Cocherell" in the county of Derbyshire. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, with variations such as Cockrell, Cockerill, and Cockerell.

In the 13th century, a man named John Cockrell was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Staffordshire in 1212. Another early record is that of William Cockerell, who was documented in the Subsidy Rolls of Leicestershire in 1327.

The name Cockrell is also associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure is William Cockrell (c. 1571-1628), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Stow in Lincolnshire.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Sir John Cockerill (1787-1849), a pioneering industrialist and engineer from Belgium who established the famous Cockerill Company, a major manufacturer of machinery and weapons.

In the United States, Francis Marion Cockrell (1834-1915) was a prominent politician and military officer who served as a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War and later as a United States Senator from Missouri.

The name Cockrell has also been associated with places, such as Cockrell Hill, a city in Dallas County, Texas, which was named after the Cockrell family who settled in the area in the 19th century.

Over the centuries, the surname Cockrell has spread across various regions and countries, with bearers of the name contributing to various fields, including religion, industry, politics, and military endeavors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cockrell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cockrell 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. Surrey leads with 56 Cockrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.78x.

County Total Index
Surrey 56 3.78x
Essex 54 8.99x
Suffolk 35 9.44x
Middlesex 28 0.92x
Hampshire 21 3.37x
Devon 20 3.16x
Somerset 16 3.27x
Wiltshire 14 5.20x
Bedfordshire 10 6.35x
Warwickshire 10 1.30x
Yorkshire 8 0.27x
Gloucestershire 7 1.17x
Staffordshire 7 0.68x
Lancashire 5 0.14x
Norfolk 5 1.07x
Buckinghamshire 4 2.17x
Sussex 4 0.78x
Durham 1 0.11x
Kent 1 0.10x
Leicestershire 1 0.30x
Lincolnshire 1 0.21x
Northamptonshire 1 0.35x
Pembrokeshire 1 1.03x
Stirlingshire 1 0.89x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 21 Cockrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.18x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 21 17.18x
Plymouth St Andrew 16 32.79x
Lambeth 15 5.65x
Bermondsey 12 13.24x
Gorleston 11 116.77x
Leiston 11 431.37x
East Mersea 10 3448.28x
Milborne Port 9 459.18x
Bedford St Mary 8 197.04x
Colchester St James 8 329.22x
Warminster 8 135.59x
Camberwell 7 3.60x
Colchester St Martin 7 636.36x
Handsworth 7 27.65x
Aston 6 2.84x
Burstow 6 476.19x
St George In East London 6 20.96x
Trowbridge 6 50.42x
Bruton 5 259.07x
Bury St Edmunds St James 5 50.51x
Godstone 5 187.97x
Ipswich St Mathew 5 48.12x
St George Bloomsbury 5 28.64x
St Pancras London 5 2.04x
Tottington Higher End 5 121.65x
West Ham 5 3.77x
Bethnal Green London 4 3.03x
Brentwood 4 109.29x
Cheltenham 4 8.69x
Dedham 4 219.78x
Holy Trinity 4 5.51x
Lingfield 4 138.41x
Mile End Old Town London 4 6.17x
Oxted 4 223.46x
Upton Cum Chalvey 4 54.57x
Birmingham 3 1.17x
Chester St Nicholas 3 697.67x
Frant 3 82.42x
Runwell 3 857.14x
Woodford 3 44.12x
Bedford St Paul 2 18.50x
Buckland 2 666.67x
Colchester St Leonard 2 103.63x
East Teignmouth 2 77.22x
Exeter Holy Trinity 2 80.65x
Garboldisham 2 298.51x
Halvergate 2 400.00x
Kelvedon 2 125.00x
Lofthouse 2 44.44x
Paddington London 2 1.79x
Ardleigh 1 59.88x
Ashbocking 1 303.03x
Astley 1 400.00x
Beaumont 1 222.22x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 5.03x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 1 14.37x
Canterbury St Mary 1 14.35x
Clevedon 1 19.65x
Colchester Holy Trinity 1 75.19x
Fressingfield 1 84.03x
Great Grimsby 1 3.24x
Hastings St Clement 1 20.70x
Haverfordwest St Mary 1 71.94x
Heigham 1 3.98x
Husbands Bosworth 1 114.94x
Ilkley 1 20.28x
Islington London 1 0.34x
Killearn 1 84.75x
Newington 1 0.89x
North Frodingham 1 140.85x
Northampton St Giles 1 9.17x
Penge 1 5.14x
Podimore Milton 1 1000.00x
Shoreditch London 1 0.76x
Southwark Christchurch 1 7.01x
Westoe 1 1.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 15
Mary 13
Alice 8
Annie 8
Emma 8
Edith 6
Eliza 5
Ellen 5
Sarah 5
Jane 4
Ada 3
Amy 3
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Hannah 3
Maria 3
Beatrice 2
Caroline 2
Emily 2
Ethel 2
Florence 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Mabel 2
Martha 2
Susan 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Charh 1
Elan 1
Eliz. 1
Elizh. 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Jessie 1
Lavinia 1
Lenora 1
Lilian 1
Lizzie 1
Lucretia 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Theodoria 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Cockrell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cockrell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 312 people were recorded with the Cockrell surname. That placed it at #9,451 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cockrell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 316 in 2016. That gives Cockrell a modern rank of #14,227.

What does the Cockrell surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a breeder or keeper of roosters and cockerels.

What does the Cockrell map show?

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