NameCensus.

UK surname

Hocking

Derived from a place name meaning "a settlement in the hills" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 2,449 people recorded with the Hocking surname, ranking it #1,818 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,852, ranked #2,357, down from #1,818 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Illogan, Redruth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hocking is 3,190 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.5%.

1881 census count

2,449

Ranked #1,818

Modern count

2,852

2016, ranked #2,357

Peak year

1911

3,190 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hocking had 2,449 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,818 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,852 in 2016, ranked #2,357.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,190 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hocking surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hocking surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hocking 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 1,983 #1,460
1861 historical 1,865 #1,554
1881 historical 2,449 #1,818
1891 historical 2,647 #1,802
1901 historical 3,060 #1,829
1911 historical 3,190 #1,637
1997 modern 2,914 #2,218
1998 modern 3,008 #2,243
1999 modern 3,023 #2,248
2000 modern 3,002 #2,243
2001 modern 2,913 #2,259
2002 modern 2,975 #2,259
2003 modern 2,896 #2,271
2004 modern 2,879 #2,291
2005 modern 2,805 #2,313
2006 modern 2,821 #2,305
2007 modern 2,799 #2,335
2008 modern 2,859 #2,315
2009 modern 2,920 #2,320
2010 modern 2,916 #2,369
2011 modern 2,873 #2,366
2012 modern 2,821 #2,371
2013 modern 2,901 #2,343
2014 modern 2,919 #2,336
2015 modern 2,905 #2,321
2016 modern 2,852 #2,357

Geography

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Where Hockings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Illogan, Redruth, London parishes, Madron and Camborne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall. 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 Illogan Cornwall
2 Redruth Cornwall
3 London parishes London 3
4 Madron Cornwall
5 Camborne Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 055 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 053 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 052 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 041 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 071 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hocking

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hocking

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hocking is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Hocking is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hocking falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hocking

The surname Hocking has its origins in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hoccing" or "hoccing-leah," which referred to a meadow or clearing where hawks were kept for hunting.

During the Middle Ages, the name Hocking was predominantly found in the counties of Devon and Cornwall in the southwest of England. These regions were known for their rich hunting grounds and the practice of falconry, which may have contributed to the name's association with hawks and hunting.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hocking can be found in the Assize Rolls of Somerset from 1268, which mention a person named Robert Hocking. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Devon from 1332, where a John Hocking is listed.

In the 16th century, the name Hocking appeared in various spellings, such as Hockinge, Hockyn, and Hokyng, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that time period. The surname was also associated with several place names in Devon and Cornwall, such as Hocking Green and Hocking Hill.

Notable individuals with the surname Hocking include:

1. Richard Hocking (c. 1619-1677), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the vicar of Slapton in Devon. 2. William Hocking (1768-1835), an English engraver and copper-plate printer known for his landscapes and architectural prints. 3. Silas K. Hocking (1850-1935), a British novelist and minister who wrote over 100 books, including novels and religious works. 4. David Hocking (1923-2015), a British actor and playwright who appeared in numerous television shows and films. 5. Amanda Hocking (born 1984), an American writer known for her self-published paranormal romance and young adult novels.

While the surname Hocking has its roots in the southwestern regions of England, over time it has spread to other parts of the country and beyond, carried by families and individuals as they migrated and settled in new areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hocking families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hocking 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. Cornwall leads with 1,573 Hockings recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.26x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 1,573 58.26x
Devon 286 5.76x
Middlesex 112 0.47x
Lancashire 104 0.37x
Glamorgan 65 1.57x
Cumberland 55 2.68x
Surrey 46 0.40x
Kent 39 0.48x
Yorkshire 37 0.16x
Hampshire 23 0.47x
Durham 22 0.31x
Gloucestershire 15 0.32x
Essex 12 0.25x
Warwickshire 10 0.17x
Wiltshire 10 0.47x
Bedfordshire 9 0.73x
Sussex 7 0.17x
Somerset 6 0.16x
Oxfordshire 2 0.14x
Royal Navy 2 0.70x
Ayrshire 1 0.06x
Brecknockshire 1 0.21x
Buteshire 1 0.69x
Channel Islands 1 0.14x
Derbyshire 1 0.03x
Flintshire 1 0.16x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Renfrewshire 1 0.05x
Staffordshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camborne in Cornwall leads with 183 Hockings recorded in 1881 and an index of 164.48x.

Place Total Index
Camborne 183 164.48x
St Just In Penwith 116 221.42x
Illogan 90 125.89x
Redruth 66 86.41x
Madron Penzance 55 56.01x
Stoke Damerel 54 15.54x
St Austell 51 55.25x
Falmouth 44 46.03x
Gwinear 39 304.45x
St Keverne 38 255.55x
Mevagissey 37 206.24x
Gwennap 32 62.82x
Plymouth St Andrew 27 7.06x
Sithney 26 95.31x
Battersea 25 2.85x
Helston 25 89.06x
Plymouth Charles The 25 11.43x
Mylor 24 132.67x
Constantine 23 146.31x
Phillack 23 66.00x
Perranzabuloe 22 94.46x
St Columb Minor 22 97.04x
St Ives 22 41.64x
Cwmdu 21 41.51x
Quethiock 20 505.05x
St Levan 20 409.84x
Uny Lelant 19 130.14x
Arlecdon 18 32.96x
Habergham Eaves 18 6.96x
Breage 17 68.97x
Kenwyn 17 24.08x
Barrow In Furness 16 4.16x
Egremont 16 32.68x
North Hill 16 184.97x
Portsea 16 1.67x
Shebbear 16 214.77x
St Ive 16 92.38x
St Stephen In Brannel 16 64.96x
Landewednack 15 313.81x
Crowan 14 65.45x
Gulval 14 80.55x
Islington London 14 0.61x
Linkinhorne 14 74.43x
Maker 14 56.13x
Northam 14 38.70x
Paddington London 14 1.60x
Truro St Mary 14 61.70x
Dalton In Furness 13 11.90x
Grade 13 546.22x
Madron 13 59.61x
Probus 13 117.43x
St Agnes 13 34.37x
St Dennis 13 128.97x
St Pancras London 13 0.68x
Calstock 12 22.66x
Margam 12 25.91x
Merther 12 597.01x
St Buryan 12 107.62x
St Erth 12 73.35x
Withiel 12 360.36x
Budock 11 54.13x
Cleator 11 12.87x
Lambeth 11 0.53x
Lanlivery 11 97.00x
St Stephen 11 114.82x
Bodmin 10 22.39x
Cardiff St Mary 10 4.37x
St Breock 10 68.54x
Tormoham 10 4.76x
Burnley 9 3.78x
Ludgvan 9 41.82x
Luton 9 4.21x
West Looe 9 126.58x
Whitworth 9 17.32x
Wolborough 9 14.34x
East Looe 8 73.06x
Millom 8 12.71x
Spotland 8 2.54x
St Clement 8 28.39x
Wendron 8 21.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 221
Elizabeth 131
Jane 74
Eliza 41
Annie 40
Ann 38
Emily 38
Sarah 38
Ellen 35
Emma 25
Alice 24
Grace 21
Louisa 20
Susan 20
Caroline 17
Bessie 16
Catherine 16
Amelia 13
Clara 12
Margaret 11
Ada 10
Edith 10
Elizth. 10
Fanny 10
Harriet 10
Martha 9
Sophia 9
Agnes 8
Anna 8
Beatrice 8
Florence 8
Frances 8
Minnie 8
Charlotte 7
Kate 7
Laura 7
Lucy 7
Lydia 7
Jessie 6
Maria 6
Bertha 5
Eleanor 5
Elizebeth 5
Hannah 5
Lavinia 5
Mabel 5
Matilda 5
Ethel 4
Henrietta 4
Lilly 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 208
John 187
Thomas 82
Richard 79
James 70
Samuel 38
Joseph 36
Henry 35
Charles 34
George 24
Edward 22
Edwin 18
Frederick 18
Robert 17
Alfred 16
Nicholas 16
Francis 15
Harry 10
Simon 10
Ernest 8
Albert 7
Benjamin 6
Sidney 6
Walter 6
Peter 5
Arthur 4
Benjiman 4
Edmund 4
Fred 4
Christopher 3
Daniel 3
David 3
Edwd. 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Matthew 3
Michael 3
Percy 3
Philip 3
Saml. 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Anthony 2
Earnest 2
Edgar 2
Edmond 2
Mark 2
Mathew 2
Oliver 2
Pascoe 2

FAQ

Hocking surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hocking surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,449 people were recorded with the Hocking surname. That placed it at #1,818 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hocking surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,852 in 2016. That gives Hocking a modern rank of #2,357.

What does the Hocking surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "a settlement in the hills" in Old English.

What does the Hocking map show?

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