UK surname
An occupational surname referring to a person who prepared meals, often in a professional capacity.
In the 1881 census there were 171 people recorded with the Cooks surname, ranking it #14,212 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 52, ranked #34,780, down from #14,212 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Kings Norton, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cooks is 819 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 69.6%.
1881 census count
171
Ranked #14,212
Modern count
52
2016, ranked #34,780
Peak year
1861
819 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Cooks surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Cooks 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 | 245 | #8,920 |
| 1861 | historical | 819 | #3,363 |
| 1881 | historical | 171 | #14,212 |
| 1891 | historical | 640 | #6,055 |
| 1901 | historical | 256 | #12,934 |
| 1911 | historical | 228 | #13,759 |
| 1997 | modern | 40 | #33,666 |
| 1998 | modern | 44 | #33,462 |
| 1999 | modern | 42 | #33,778 |
| 2000 | modern | 34 | #34,517 |
| 2001 | modern | 25 | #35,248 |
| 2002 | modern | 26 | #35,338 |
| 2003 | modern | 27 | #35,279 |
| 2004 | modern | 20 | #36,053 |
| 2005 | modern | 22 | #35,993 |
| 2006 | modern | 30 | #35,526 |
| 2007 | modern | 28 | #35,801 |
| 2008 | modern | 28 | #35,875 |
| 2009 | modern | 24 | #36,261 |
| 2010 | modern | 33 | #35,794 |
| 2011 | modern | 34 | #35,705 |
| 2012 | modern | 37 | #35,531 |
| 2013 | modern | 41 | #35,384 |
| 2014 | modern | 42 | #35,350 |
| 2015 | modern | 44 | #35,212 |
| 2016 | modern | 52 | #34,780 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Kings Norton, London parishes, St Pancras, Lambeth and Preston. 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 | Kings Norton | Worcestershire |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | Preston | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Cooks 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 Cooks, 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 Cooks surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Cooks 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, Cooks 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 Cooks is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Cooks, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Cooks has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "coc," meaning a professional cook or chef. This occupational surname initially referred to those who worked as cooks or chefs, often in households of nobility or in monastic communities.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Cooks can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "le Cok." Similar spellings, such as "le Kok" and "le Koke," were also documented in various medieval records across England.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, the name is not explicitly mentioned, but there are references to individuals with the occupation of "cocus" or "coquus," which translates to "cook" in Latin. This suggests that the surname likely originated from these occupational titles.
One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Cooks was John Coke, who lived in Lincolnshire in the late 13th century. Another notable individual was Sir Thomas Coke (1548-1625), a prominent English jurist and member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In the 16th century, the surname Cooks was sometimes associated with place names, such as Cooke's Farm in Gloucestershire or Cook's Green in Essex. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname in those regions.
Other notable individuals with the surname Cooks include:
1. Thomas Cooke (1807-1892), an English manufacturer and philanthropist who founded the travel agency Thomas Cook & Son. 2. Samuel Cooke (1731-1810), an English navigator and cartographer who accompanied Captain James Cook on his voyages. 3. Alistair Cooke (1908-2004), a renowned British-American journalist and broadcaster known for his long-running radio program "Letter from America." 4. John Cooke (c. 1610-1695), an English settler who was one of the founders of the town of Windsor, Connecticut, in the United States. 5. Peter Cooke (1926-2005), an English actor and comedian, best known for his work with Dudley Moore and as part of the comedy duo Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.
While the surname Cooks is now found globally, it remains most prevalent in England and countries with historical British connections, reflecting its English origins and occupational roots.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cooks 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 26 Cooks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.55x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 26 | 1.55x |
| Lancashire | 16 | 0.80x |
| Staffordshire | 16 | 2.83x |
| Worcestershire | 15 | 6.85x |
| Warwickshire | 13 | 3.07x |
| Yorkshire | 13 | 0.78x |
| Surrey | 12 | 1.47x |
| Hampshire | 8 | 2.33x |
| Norfolk | 7 | 2.71x |
| Cheshire | 5 | 1.35x |
| Durham | 5 | 1.00x |
| Glamorgan | 5 | 1.71x |
| Sussex | 5 | 1.77x |
| Bedfordshire | 4 | 4.60x |
| Derbyshire | 4 | 1.52x |
| Channel Islands | 3 | 6.03x |
| Devon | 3 | 0.86x |
| Hertfordshire | 3 | 2.59x |
| Kent | 2 | 0.35x |
| Lincolnshire | 2 | 0.75x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 0.54x |
| Perthshire | 1 | 1.33x |
| Radnorshire | 1 | 7.39x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 5.00x |
| Westmorland | 1 | 2.71x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Audley in Staffordshire leads with 10 Cooks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 178.57x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cooks surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 9 |
| Elizabeth | 8 |
| Ann | 6 |
| Jane | 5 |
| Sarah | 5 |
| Alice | 3 |
| Annie | 3 |
| Margaret | 3 |
| Agnes | 2 |
| Amelia | 2 |
| Emma | 2 |
| Katherine | 2 |
| Ada | 1 |
| Anna | 1 |
| Beatrice | 1 |
| Betsy | 1 |
| Diana | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Eliz. | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Esther | 1 |
| Ethel | 1 |
| Fanny | 1 |
| Florance | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| Hannah | 1 |
| Helena | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| L.J. | 1 |
| Lillian | 1 |
| Lillie | 1 |
| Lizzie | 1 |
| Louie | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| Lucy | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Maryann | 1 |
| Octavia | 1 |
| Pheby | 1 |
| Prudence | 1 |
| Rebecca | 1 |
| Rosada | 1 |
| Rosana | 1 |
| Rose | 1 |
| Susan | 1 |
| Susanna | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cooks surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Cooks households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 36 |
| Furniture Dealer | 3 |
| Ag Lab | 2 |
| Coal Miner | 2 |
| Farmer | 2 |
| Labourer | 2 |
| Stone Mason | 2 |
| Blacksmith | 1 |
| Bonett Maker (Straw) | 1 |
| Bricklayer | 1 |
| Butcher Out Of Employ | 1 |
| Butler | 1 |
| Cabman | 1 |
| Carman | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Carpenter Unemployed | 1 |
| Carter (Builder) | 1 |
| Companion | 1 |
| Conpositor | 1 |
| Cook Domestic | 1 |
| Cordwainer | 1 |
| Dairymaid | 1 |
| Daur Of Elizabeth Cooks | 1 |
| Dom House Keeper | 1 |
| Domes Servant | 1 |
| Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Domestic Servt | 1 |
| Drapers Assistant | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Electro Pl Worker | 1 |
| Errand Boy (Grocer) | 1 |
| Farmers Wife | 1 |
| Gen Servant | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Gloveress | 1 |
| Grinder | 1 |
| Grocer | 1 |
| Grocers Appren | 1 |
| Groom | 1 |
| Hatter | 1 |
| House Keeper | 1 |
| Housekeeper (Dom.) | 1 |
| Housemaid | 1 |
| Housemaid Dom | 1 |
| Housemaid Dom Serv | 1 |
| Ironstone Miner | 1 |
| Joiner | 1 |
| Kinder Garten St... | 1 |
| Washerwoman | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 171 people were recorded with the Cooks surname. That placed it at #14,212 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 52 in 2016. That gives Cooks a modern rank of #34,780.
An occupational surname referring to a person who prepared meals, often in a professional capacity.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cooks 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.