NameCensus.

UK surname

Cooksley

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "Cuck's pasture or grazing-land".

In the 1881 census there were 569 people recorded with the Cooksley surname, ranking it #6,108 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 688, ranked #7,804, down from #6,108 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Bedminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, Taunton Deane and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cooksley is 762 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.9%.

1881 census count

569

Ranked #6,108

Modern count

688

2016, ranked #7,804

Peak year

1911

762 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cooksley had 569 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,108 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 688 in 2016, ranked #7,804.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 762 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cooksley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cooksley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cooksley 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 363 #6,525
1861 historical 431 #5,963
1881 historical 569 #6,108
1891 historical 634 #6,101
1901 historical 696 #6,314
1911 historical 762 #5,675
1997 modern 705 #7,207
1998 modern 731 #7,244
1999 modern 753 #7,132
2000 modern 716 #7,380
2001 modern 697 #7,389
2002 modern 685 #7,643
2003 modern 661 #7,733
2004 modern 664 #7,716
2005 modern 633 #7,947
2006 modern 628 #8,016
2007 modern 644 #7,920
2008 modern 663 #7,792
2009 modern 684 #7,784
2010 modern 691 #7,858
2011 modern 671 #7,954
2012 modern 669 #7,886
2013 modern 692 #7,800
2014 modern 706 #7,720
2015 modern 694 #7,769
2016 modern 688 #7,804

Geography

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Where Cooksleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, London parishes and Hill Farrance, Oake, Nynehead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, Taunton Deane, Bristol, South Somerset and Neath Port Talbot. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Bedminster Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 Hill Farrance, Oake, Nynehead Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 009 Forest of Dean
2 Taunton Deane 012 Taunton Deane
3 Bristol 036 Bristol, City of
4 South Somerset 019 South Somerset
5 Neath Port Talbot 017 Neath Port Talbot

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cooksley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cooksley

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Cooksley is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cooksley is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cooksley falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cooksley

The surname Cooksley has its origins in the English counties of Cheshire and Lancashire, tracing back to the late 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "coce," meaning a cook or seller of cooked meats, and "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived or worked in a meadow associated with cooking or selling cooked foods.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Wigan Court Rolls of 1292, where a William de Cokeslegh is mentioned. This spelling variation reflects the evolution of the name over time from its Old English roots.

In the early 14th century, the Cooksley surname can be found in the Chartulary of Whalley Abbey, a monastery located in Lancashire. This document contains references to individuals with the surname Cokeslegh, further solidifying the name's regional ties to the area.

During the late 14th century, the Cooksley name appears in the Poll Tax records of Yorkshire, indicating its spread to other parts of northern England. One notable entry from 1379 lists a Johannes de Cokeslegh, suggesting the name's use across various classes of society.

As the centuries progressed, the spelling of the name continued to evolve, with variations such as Cooksley, Cokesleigh, and Coxley appearing in various records. One prominent figure bearing the name was Sir John Cooksley (1585-1647), a member of Parliament and landowner in Worcestershire.

Other notable individuals with the Cooksley surname include:

1. Thomas Cooksley (1694-1772), an English mathematician and astronomer from Staffordshire. 2. Elizabeth Cooksley (1738-1811), a renowned author and poet from Gloucestershire. 3. William Cooksley (1805-1879), a prominent industrialist and philanthropist from Manchester. 4. James Cooksley (1876-1942), a British explorer and naturalist known for his expeditions to South America. 5. Margaret Cooksley (1904-1988), a celebrated artist and sculptor from Yorkshire.

While the Cooksley surname has maintained its strongest presence in England, particularly in the northern counties, it has also spread worldwide through emigration and descendants of those who bore the name throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cooksley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cooksley 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. Somerset leads with 231 Cooksleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.76x.

County Total Index
Somerset 231 25.76x
Devon 92 7.93x
Middlesex 68 1.22x
Gloucestershire 52 4.76x
Glamorgan 32 3.30x
Surrey 22 0.81x
Lancashire 18 0.27x
Warwickshire 15 1.07x
Cornwall 7 1.11x
Monmouthshire 5 1.24x
Yorkshire 5 0.09x
Derbyshire 4 0.46x
Kent 3 0.16x
Staffordshire 3 0.16x
Cumberland 2 0.42x
Essex 2 0.18x
Flintshire 2 1.34x
Hampshire 2 0.18x
Royal Navy 2 3.01x
Sussex 2 0.21x
Durham 1 0.06x
Midlothian 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedminster in Somerset leads with 36 Cooksleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.73x.

Place Total Index
Bedminster 36 42.73x
Nynehead 24 3870.97x
Bethnal Green London 20 8.27x
Plymouth St Andrew 18 20.15x
Porlock 18 1232.88x
Roath 18 40.86x
Selworthy 14 1794.87x
Silverton 14 580.91x
Birmingham 12 2.56x
Bridgewater 11 45.19x
Cannington 10 375.94x
Kensington London 10 3.23x
Portishead 10 150.15x
Churston Ferrers 9 737.70x
Lambeth 9 1.85x
St Marylebone London 9 3.03x
Pucklechurch 8 325.20x
Clifton 7 12.67x
Paignton 7 79.37x
Paul 7 61.08x
Spitalfields London 7 16.71x
Stapleton 7 33.78x
Weare 7 564.52x
West Derby 7 3.62x
Ynysawdre 7 445.86x
Compton 6 779.22x
Liverpool 6 1.49x
Tiverton 6 30.05x
Wiveliscombe 6 120.00x
Bermondsey 5 3.02x
Bow London 5 7.05x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 4.86x
Bristol Temple 5 69.54x
Camberwell 5 1.41x
Chipstable 5 806.45x
Enmore 5 925.93x
Fulham London 5 6.19x
Luccombe 5 704.23x
Old Cleeve 5 156.25x
Taunton St Mary 5 30.38x
Topsham 5 91.41x
Trull 5 273.22x
Walcot 5 10.47x
West Buckland 5 290.70x
Whitchurch 5 520.83x
Bristol St George 4 7.92x
Cadeleigh 4 869.57x
Dartmouth Townstall 4 84.75x
Fiddington 4 851.06x
Luxborough 4 500.00x
Mangotsfield 4 36.73x
Pawlett 4 396.04x
Sheffield 4 2.28x
Stretford 4 11.00x
Taunton St James 4 30.58x
Wellington 4 32.89x
Wraxall 4 233.92x
Aston 3 0.78x
Hackney London 3 0.96x
Langford Budville 3 434.78x
Milverton 3 90.63x
Newport 3 15.62x
Penarth 3 31.65x
Westerleigh 3 122.45x
Weston Super Mare 3 13.25x
Bristol St Augustine 2 11.34x
Bristol St James In 2 12.45x
Bristol St Michael 2 21.34x
Charlton Next Woolwich 2 10.09x
High Ham 2 93.46x
Keymer 2 30.17x
Killamarsh 2 36.90x
Newington 2 0.97x
North Tawton 2 56.18x
Northam 2 23.67x
Rhuddlan 2 15.17x
Stoke Damerel 2 2.46x
Tormoham 2 4.08x
Tottenham 2 2.25x
Wembdon 2 75.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Elizabeth 30
Sarah 22
Ann 11
Eliza 11
Ellen 11
Jane 10
Emma 8
Caroline 7
Emily 7
Alice 6
Amelia 6
Fanny 6
Annie 5
Charlotte 5
Susan 5
Hannah 4
Kate 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Edith 3
Florence 3
Lucy 3
Amy 2
Bessie 2
Clare 2
Elizth. 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Jessie 2
Leah 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Rose 2
Agness 1
Beatrice 1
Betsy 1
Blanche 1
Charlott 1
Christin 1
Ciscell 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
E.M. 1
Eleanor 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Harritt 1
Winefred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 46
George 30
John 30
Thomas 23
James 16
Henry 14
Alfred 13
Charles 11
Walter 11
Robert 9
Samuel 9
Albert 7
Frank 4
Frederick 4
Joseph 4
Edward 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Sidney 3
Tom 3
Edwin 2
A. 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Chas.Wm.Bowe 1
Daniel 1
Edger 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
H.J. 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Issac 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Oliver 1
Percy 1
Sam 1
Saml. 1
Sydney 1
Will 1
Willm. 1
Willm.Jas. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.George 1
Wm.Robert 1

FAQ

Cooksley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cooksley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 569 people were recorded with the Cooksley surname. That placed it at #6,108 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cooksley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 688 in 2016. That gives Cooksley a modern rank of #7,804.

What does the Cooksley surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "Cuck's pasture or grazing-land".

What does the Cooksley map show?

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