NameCensus.

UK surname

Cockrill

An archaic English occupational surname referring to a keeper of cockrels or cockerels.

In the 1881 census there were 245 people recorded with the Cockrill surname, ranking it #11,232 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 288, ranked #15,180, down from #11,232 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gorleston, Stranton and Chatham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Great Yarmouth, Torridge and Lichfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cockrill is 366 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.6%.

1881 census count

245

Ranked #11,232

Modern count

288

2016, ranked #15,180

Peak year

1911

366 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cockrill had 245 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,232 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 288 in 2016, ranked #15,180.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 366 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cockrill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cockrill surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Cockrill 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 278 #8,089
1861 historical 264 #9,385
1881 historical 245 #11,232
1891 historical 326 #10,405
1901 historical 342 #10,608
1911 historical 366 #9,936
1997 modern 346 #12,273
1998 modern 354 #12,438
1999 modern 354 #12,497
2000 modern 358 #12,356
2001 modern 347 #12,449
2002 modern 350 #12,620
2003 modern 340 #12,685
2004 modern 345 #12,571
2005 modern 329 #12,966
2006 modern 318 #13,348
2007 modern 321 #13,403
2008 modern 317 #13,632
2009 modern 330 #13,513
2010 modern 338 #13,550
2011 modern 330 #13,664
2012 modern 304 #14,388
2013 modern 295 #14,918
2014 modern 302 #14,772
2015 modern 295 #14,935
2016 modern 288 #15,180

Geography

Back to top

Where Cockrills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gorleston, Stranton, Chatham, London parishes and Great Yarmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Great Yarmouth, Torridge, Lichfield and County Durham. 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 Gorleston Suffolk
2 Stranton Durham
3 Chatham Kent
4 London parishes London 2
5 Great Yarmouth Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Great Yarmouth 008 Great Yarmouth
2 Torridge 005 Torridge
3 Great Yarmouth 013 Great Yarmouth
4 Lichfield 009 Lichfield
5 County Durham 054 County Durham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Cockrill

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Cockrill

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Cockrill is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cockrill is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cockrill falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cockrill

The surname Cockrill is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from an occupation or a place name. One theory suggests it may be derived from the Old English words "cocc" meaning a small hill or mound, and "hyll" meaning hill, potentially referring to someone who lived on or near a small hill.

Another possible origin is that it was an occupational surname given to someone who raised or sold cocks or roosters. In medieval times, cockfighting was a popular sport, and those involved in breeding or trading fighting cocks may have adopted the surname Cockrill.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, a William Cokerel is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, while a John Cokerell is listed in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379.

Over time, the surname evolved with various spellings such as Cockerell, Cockerill, and Cockrill. These variations were common due to inconsistent record-keeping and the lack of standardized spelling during that period.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir Aston Cokayn Cockrill (1608-1684), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire in the 17th century.

In the literary realm, the name is associated with Dorothy Cockrill (1714-1795), an English poet and writer who published several works, including a collection of poems titled "The Fatal Passion" in 1769.

Another prominent figure was Richard Cockrill Lucas (1800-1883), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious books and served as the vicar of Ternhill in Shropshire.

The Cockrill surname also has connections to the American Civil War, with John Cockrill (1833-1915) serving as a major in the Confederate Army and later becoming a respected lawyer and judge in Missouri.

Lastly, Robert Cockrill (1857-1934) was a notable English artist and etcher known for his landscape paintings and etchings of rural scenes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the surname Cockrill is not among the most common in England or the United States today, its historical roots and the individuals who bore it have contributed to its enduring legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Cockrill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cockrill 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. Suffolk leads with 62 Cockrills recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.30x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 62 21.30x
Middlesex 27 1.13x
Cheshire 22 4.17x
Lancashire 19 0.67x
Yorkshire 19 0.80x
Leicestershire 17 6.42x
Surrey 16 1.37x
Warwickshire 15 2.49x
Northamptonshire 14 6.23x
Norfolk 12 3.27x
Durham 7 0.98x
Essex 6 1.27x
Gloucestershire 3 0.64x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.32x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.62x
Kent 1 0.12x
Lincolnshire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gorleston in Suffolk leads with 24 Cockrills recorded in 1881 and an index of 324.76x.

Place Total Index
Gorleston 24 324.76x
Buxhall 9 2307.69x
Heigham 9 45.64x
Shawell 9 5294.12x
Battersea 8 9.10x
Liscard 8 84.21x
Newchurch 8 34.48x
Pakenham 8 1025.64x
Cheadle 7 69.44x
Chester St Mary On Hill 7 154.53x
Shoreditch London 7 6.76x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 6 109.89x
Dedham 6 419.58x
Leicester St Mary 6 28.02x
Manchester 6 4.71x
Stoke Bruern 6 869.57x
Aston 5 3.01x
Hammersmith London 5 8.49x
Islington London 5 2.16x
Sculcoates 5 13.32x
Southcoates 5 38.02x
Thurston 5 877.19x
Akenham 4 4444.44x
Newington 4 4.53x
Northampton St Sepulchre 4 35.00x
Spotland 4 12.69x
Holy Trinity 3 5.27x
Poplar London 3 6.65x
Stranton 3 12.54x
Thrapston 3 265.49x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.93x
Birmingham 2 1.00x
Bishopwearmouth 2 3.28x
Bristol St Paul In 2 16.01x
Bromley London 2 3.80x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 20.24x
Leicester St Margaret 2 3.10x
Nottingham St Mary 2 2.40x
Over Whitacre 2 833.33x
Warwick St Mary 2 38.24x
Weybridge 2 80.00x
Wicken 2 289.86x
Acle 1 133.33x
Arley 1 588.24x
Bristol St Augustine 1 13.23x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 12.87x
Camberwell 1 0.66x
Coventry Holy Trinity 1 5.56x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.59x
Ganton 1 357.14x
Hartlepool 1 9.90x
Herringfleet 1 526.32x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 12.25x
Ixworth 1 121.95x
Lambeth 1 0.48x
Leeds 1 0.75x
Loxley 1 384.62x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.97x
North Meols 1 3.60x
Northampton St Giles 1 11.68x
Norwich St Stephen 1 29.67x
Paddington London 1 1.14x
Paull 1 222.22x
Priors Marston 1 212.77x
Scoulton 1 370.37x
South Crosland 1 40.16x
Spilsby 1 82.64x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.38x
Stockton On Tees 1 2.92x
Waplington 1 5000.00x
York St Helen Stonegate 1 277.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 16
William 14
Charles 11
Robert 8
George 7
Joseph 7
Thomas 7
James 5
Harry 4
Albert 3
Edward 3
Frank 2
Henry 2
Samuel 2
A. 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Austen 1
Benjamin 1
Clark 1
David 1
E.W. 1
Earnest 1
Edmond 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Elijah 1
Ernest 1
Fran. 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Harold 1
Harrold 1
Henery 1
Hilder 1
Horace 1
J.B. 1
Mark 1
Nathaniel 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Rupert 1
Septimus 1
Silas 1
T.W. 1
Willm. 1
Wm.E. 1

FAQ

Cockrill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cockrill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 245 people were recorded with the Cockrill surname. That placed it at #11,232 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cockrill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 288 in 2016. That gives Cockrill a modern rank of #15,180.

What does the Cockrill surname mean?

An archaic English occupational surname referring to a keeper of cockrels or cockerels.

What does the Cockrill map show?

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