NameCensus.

UK surname

Hockett

Derived from a place name meaning "hook gate," likely referring to a gate or entrance with a hook-shaped fastening.

In the 1881 census there were 116 people recorded with the Hockett surname, ranking it #18,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 171, ranked #21,726, down from #18,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton and Enfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Herefordshire, Colchester and Rochford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hockett is 232 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.4%.

1881 census count

116

Ranked #18,126

Modern count

171

2016, ranked #21,726

Peak year

1911

232 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hockett had 116 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 171 in 2016, ranked #21,726.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 232 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hockett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hockett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hockett 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 77 #19,998
1861 historical 108 #19,856
1881 historical 116 #18,126
1891 historical 176 #16,404
1901 historical 215 #14,478
1911 historical 232 #13,592
1997 modern 198 #17,729
1998 modern 193 #18,511
1999 modern 199 #18,293
2000 modern 190 #18,806
2001 modern 189 #18,590
2002 modern 201 #18,236
2003 modern 196 #18,358
2004 modern 197 #18,368
2005 modern 187 #18,924
2006 modern 186 #19,140
2007 modern 182 #19,618
2008 modern 186 #19,524
2009 modern 190 #19,656
2010 modern 187 #20,309
2011 modern 181 #20,579
2012 modern 176 #20,915
2013 modern 172 #21,575
2014 modern 178 #21,259
2015 modern 170 #21,800
2016 modern 171 #21,726

Geography

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Where Hocketts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton and Enfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Herefordshire, Colchester, Rochford and Waltham Forest. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton Hertfordshire
4 Enfield Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Herefordshire 009 Herefordshire, County of
2 Colchester 007 Colchester
3 Rochford 003 Rochford
4 Rochford 006 Rochford
5 Waltham Forest 004 Waltham Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hockett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hockett

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hockett, 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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Hockett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hockett household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Hockett is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Hockett is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hockett falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hockett

The surname Hockett has its origins in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hocced," meaning "hooded" or "wearing a hood," which was likely an occupational name for someone who made or sold hoods.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Richard Hocket in Oxfordshire. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also mention a John Hockett.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Hocket, Hoket, and Hokket, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that time period.

The Hockett surname is closely associated with the village of Hockett, located in the county of Bedfordshire. This place name likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

One notable figure with the surname Hockett was John Hockett, a 15th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1459 to 1490.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in several historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1524, where a William Hockett is listed.

Another prominent individual with the Hockett surname was Richard Hockett (1505-1570), an English merchant and politician who served as the Mayor of Bristol in 1565.

The 17th century saw the name spread to other parts of England, with records showing Hocketts in counties such as Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Warwickshire.

In the 18th century, one notable figure was Charles Hockett (1728-1804), an English physician and author who wrote several medical treatises on topics such as fever and smallpox.

As the name continued to spread and evolve, it also found its way to other parts of the world, including North America, where many Hocketts settled in the colonial era.

Throughout its history, the Hockett surname has been associated with various occupations, including clergymen, merchants, politicians, and medical professionals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hockett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hockett 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. Middlesex leads with 48 Hocketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.24x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 48 4.24x
Hertfordshire 31 39.75x
Essex 15 6.72x
Durham 6 1.78x
Surrey 6 1.09x
Suffolk 4 2.90x
Kent 3 0.78x
Yorkshire 2 0.18x
Lancashire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Enfield in Middlesex leads with 17 Hocketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 229.11x.

Place Total Index
Enfield 17 229.11x
East Barnet 14 903.23x
Codicote 8 1702.13x
Kensington London 8 12.72x
Prittlewell 8 258.06x
St Albans St Peter 8 304.18x
Stranton 6 52.96x
Chelsea London 5 14.67x
Battersea 4 9.61x
Edmonton 4 43.86x
Tottenham 4 22.20x
Clerkenwell London 3 11.23x
Margate St John Baptist 3 42.43x
Paglesham 3 1500.00x
Shoreditch London 3 6.12x
Walsham Le Willows 3 652.17x
Islington London 2 1.82x
Sandal Magna 2 120.48x
West Ham 2 4.06x
Chipping Barnet 1 73.53x
Eastwood 1 500.00x
Hornsey 1 6.99x
Ipswich St Lawrence 1 526.32x
Liverpool 1 1.23x
Newington 1 2.39x
Norwood 1 38.61x
Rochford 1 153.85x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 4.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Elizabeth 7
Eliza 4
Sarah 4
Alice 2
Annie 2
Jane 2
Louisa 2
Agness 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Edee 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Lollie 1
Maria 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Rebecca 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Hockett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hockett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 116 people were recorded with the Hockett surname. That placed it at #18,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hockett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 171 in 2016. That gives Hockett a modern rank of #21,726.

What does the Hockett surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "hook gate," likely referring to a gate or entrance with a hook-shaped fastening.

What does the Hockett map show?

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