UK surname
An English occupational surname referring to a haycock maker, one who rakes hay into piles for drying.
In the 1881 census there were 73 people recorded with the Heacock surname, ranking it #23,220 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 36, ranked #35,648, down from #23,220 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Stockport, St Pancras and Rugeley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heacock is 109 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 50.7%.
1881 census count
73
Ranked #23,220
Modern count
36
2016, ranked #35,648
Peak year
1861
109 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Heacock surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Heacock surname density by area, 1861 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 | 64 | #21,914 |
| 1861 | historical | 109 | #19,693 |
| 1881 | historical | 73 | #23,220 |
| 1891 | historical | 92 | #25,109 |
| 1901 | historical | 71 | #26,277 |
| 1911 | historical | 65 | #26,343 |
| 1997 | modern | 37 | #33,964 |
| 1998 | modern | 37 | #34,149 |
| 1999 | modern | 36 | #34,323 |
| 2000 | modern | 37 | #34,217 |
| 2001 | modern | 34 | #34,356 |
| 2002 | modern | 28 | #35,139 |
| 2003 | modern | 26 | #35,371 |
| 2004 | modern | 26 | #35,519 |
| 2005 | modern | 24 | #35,827 |
| 2006 | modern | 26 | #35,822 |
| 2007 | modern | 30 | #35,661 |
| 2008 | modern | 31 | #35,670 |
| 2009 | modern | 30 | #35,871 |
| 2010 | modern | 34 | #35,730 |
| 2011 | modern | 31 | #35,892 |
| 2012 | modern | 33 | #35,767 |
| 2013 | modern | 32 | #35,862 |
| 2014 | modern | 34 | #35,784 |
| 2015 | modern | 35 | #35,702 |
| 2016 | modern | 36 | #35,648 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Stockport, St Pancras, Rugeley, Warrington and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. 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 | Stockport | Cheshire |
| 2 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | Rugeley | Staffordshire |
| 4 | Warrington | Lancashire |
| 5 | Birmingham Town: Birmingham | Warwickshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Heacock 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 Heacock, 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 Heacock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Heacock 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, Heacock 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 Heacock is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Heacock, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Heacock originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from an Old English term 'heah-cocc', which translates to "high cock" or "tall bird". This name likely referred to someone with a tall stature or someone who lived in an elevated area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname dates back to 1275 in the Huntingdonshire Hundred Rolls, where a Richard Heycock is mentioned. The name also appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301, where a John Heycock is listed.
Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, various spellings of the name can be found in historical records, including Heycok, Haycock, and Heycocke. These variations reflect the evolution of the English language and the lack of standardized spelling during that era.
In the 16th century, the Heacock surname gained prominence in the county of Oxfordshire. Notable individuals from this time period include William Heacock, a yeoman farmer who lived in the village of Nettlebed in the late 1500s.
During the 17th century, the Heacock family expanded their presence across England, with several branches settling in the counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Warwickshire. One notable figure from this era was John Heacock, a merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Wantage, Berkshire, in the mid-1600s.
The 18th century saw the Heacock name associated with various trades and professions. One notable individual was Robert Heacock, a respected clockmaker from Oxfordshire who lived from 1720 to 1795.
In the 19th century, the Heacock surname gained prominence in the literary world with the birth of Roger Heacock, a renowned English poet and author who lived from 1818 to 1890.
Another notable figure from the same era was Sir William Heacock, a distinguished military officer who served in the British Army during the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He was born in 1825 and passed away in 1903.
As the Heacock family continued to spread across different regions of England, the surname also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to various parts of the world through immigration.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heacock 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. Herefordshire leads with 13 Heacocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.54x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Herefordshire | 13 | 44.54x |
| Lancashire | 13 | 1.54x |
| Warwickshire | 13 | 7.24x |
| Middlesex | 8 | 1.12x |
| Devon | 7 | 4.72x |
| Yorkshire | 7 | 0.99x |
| Surrey | 6 | 1.73x |
| Gloucestershire | 3 | 2.15x |
| Monmouthshire | 2 | 3.89x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.42x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 13 Heacocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.29x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Aston | 13 | 26.29x |
| Colwall | 8 | 2222.22x |
| Warrington | 8 | 79.92x |
| Brightside Bierlow | 7 | 50.58x |
| Ledbury | 5 | 500.00x |
| Exeter St Sidwell | 4 | 117.99x |
| Clerkenwell London | 3 | 17.86x |
| Exeter St David | 3 | 236.22x |
| Lambeth | 3 | 4.83x |
| Leckhampton | 3 | 348.84x |
| Newington | 3 | 11.41x |
| St Pancras London | 3 | 5.23x |
| Widnes | 3 | 49.26x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 5.26x |
| St Woollos | 2 | 34.84x |
| Newton | 1 | 15.36x |
| Rugeley | 1 | 58.14x |
| Tonge With Haulgh | 1 | 60.98x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Heacock surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Heacock surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 73 people were recorded with the Heacock surname. That placed it at #23,220 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 36 in 2016. That gives Heacock a modern rank of #35,648.
An English occupational surname referring to a haycock maker, one who rakes hay into piles for drying.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Heacock 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.