NameCensus.

UK surname

Hockley

A locational surname originating from places in England called Hockley.

In the 1881 census there were 1,615 people recorded with the Hockley surname, ranking it #2,642 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,890, ranked #3,367, down from #2,642 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Braintree, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tendring, Uttlesford and Southend-on-Sea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hockley is 2,193 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.0%.

1881 census count

1,615

Ranked #2,642

Modern count

1,890

2016, ranked #3,367

Peak year

1911

2,193 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hockley had 1,615 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,642 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,890 in 2016, ranked #3,367.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,193 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hockley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hockley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hockley 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 930 #2,972
1861 historical 990 #2,814
1881 historical 1,615 #2,642
1891 historical 1,685 #2,677
1901 historical 1,942 #2,724
1911 historical 2,193 #2,300
1997 modern 2,004 #3,046
1998 modern 2,087 #3,054
1999 modern 2,128 #3,029
2000 modern 2,111 #3,028
2001 modern 2,048 #3,048
2002 modern 2,066 #3,088
2003 modern 2,002 #3,114
2004 modern 1,993 #3,125
2005 modern 1,921 #3,191
2006 modern 1,924 #3,197
2007 modern 1,952 #3,188
2008 modern 1,947 #3,208
2009 modern 1,975 #3,242
2010 modern 2,008 #3,263
2011 modern 1,957 #3,295
2012 modern 1,933 #3,277
2013 modern 1,925 #3,341
2014 modern 1,938 #3,345
2015 modern 1,910 #3,349
2016 modern 1,890 #3,367

Geography

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Where Hockleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Braintree, London parishes, St Pancras and Hammersmith. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tendring, Uttlesford, Southend-on-Sea and Ipswich. 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 Braintree Essex
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Hammersmith London (West Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tendring 003 Tendring
2 Uttlesford 007 Uttlesford
3 Southend-on-Sea 006 Southend-on-Sea
4 Uttlesford 009 Uttlesford
5 Ipswich 016 Ipswich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hockley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hockley

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Hockley is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hockley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hockley 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 Hockley 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 Hockley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hockley

The surname HOCKLEY derives from the Old English words 'hoc' meaning hook and 'leah' meaning a clearing or meadow. It is an English locational surname that originates from various places in England called Hockley.

The name dates back to the 11th century in England. One of the earliest records of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a Richard de Hockeleia in Berkshire. This shows the name was well-established by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various spellings such as de Hockeleg, Hockelay, and Hockele. These variations reflect the different pronunciations and spellings used in different regions of England at the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir Richard de Hockley, a knight who fought in the Battle of Evesham in 1265 during the Second Barons' War. Another notable figure was John Hockley, a wealthy merchant from Bristol in the 14th century.

The name is also associated with several place names in England, such as Hockley in Essex, Hockley Heath in Warwickshire, and Hockley Vill in Buckinghamshire. These locations likely gave rise to different branches of the Hockley family.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records, including the baptism of Jone Hockley in 1587 in Berkshire. Another notable bearer was Sir Richard Hockley, a Member of Parliament for Wigan in 1628.

Other notable individuals with the surname HOCKLEY include Walter Hockley (1670-1733), an English poet and playwright, and Ralph Hockley (1719-1784), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War.

The name Hockley has been present throughout English history, with its origins dating back to the 11th century and its various spellings reflecting the linguistic evolution of the English language over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hockley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hockley 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. Essex leads with 367 Hockleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.80x.

County Total Index
Essex 367 11.80x
Middlesex 332 2.11x
Surrey 276 3.60x
Hampshire 142 4.40x
Suffolk 88 4.59x
Kent 82 1.53x
Cambridgeshire 38 3.81x
Yorkshire 29 0.19x
Hertfordshire 26 2.39x
Warwickshire 25 0.63x
Lancashire 21 0.11x
Lincolnshire 21 0.83x
Buckinghamshire 20 2.10x
Berkshire 16 1.35x
Staffordshire 15 0.28x
Derbyshire 12 0.49x
Devon 11 0.34x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.52x
Bedfordshire 10 1.23x
Sussex 10 0.38x
Cheshire 8 0.23x
Wiltshire 8 0.57x
Northamptonshire 7 0.47x
Dorset 5 0.48x
Norfolk 5 0.21x
Oxfordshire 4 0.41x
Leicestershire 3 0.17x
Shropshire 3 0.22x
Somerset 3 0.12x
Westmorland 3 0.87x
Gloucestershire 2 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.64x
Midlothian 2 0.09x
Monmouthshire 2 0.18x
Royal Navy 2 1.07x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.29x
Herefordshire 1 0.15x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.28x
Worcestershire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 47 Hockleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.08x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 47 3.08x
Bermondsey 35 7.46x
Bethnal Green London 30 4.38x
Braintree 26 93.12x
Kensington London 26 2.97x
Lambeth 26 1.89x
Great Dunmow 24 148.06x
St Pancras London 24 1.89x
Bentley 22 578.95x
Croydon 20 4.69x
Hatfield Broad Oak 20 190.66x
Alton 19 78.06x
Aston 19 1.74x
Camberwell 19 1.89x
Lewisham 19 6.63x
Shoreditch London 19 2.78x
Chelmsford 17 31.86x
Hammersmith London 16 4.12x
Kingsclere 16 108.47x
Richmond 15 13.94x
Thaxted 15 145.35x
West Ham 14 2.04x
Ashford 13 24.83x
Chertsey 13 26.21x
Chobham 13 95.94x
Poplar London 13 4.37x
Wickhambrook 13 180.31x
Great Bealings 12 774.19x
Greenwich 12 4.78x
High Laver 12 466.93x
Little Dunmow 12 659.34x
Tottenham 12 4.78x
Trimley St Mary 12 530.97x
Basingstoke 11 29.62x
Elm 11 112.59x
Ipswich St Clement 11 22.55x
Isleworth 11 15.71x
Little Canfield 11 687.50x
Alfreton 10 13.35x
Chigwell 10 34.07x
Danbury 10 189.75x
Elstead 10 271.00x
New Alresford 10 119.47x
Portsea 10 1.58x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 3.15x
Windlesham 10 69.25x
Bishop Stortford 9 24.81x
Godalming 9 18.63x
Great Bolton 9 3.63x
Hampstead London 9 3.67x
Horley 9 69.93x
Langdon Hills 9 584.42x
Luton 9 6.37x
Paddington London 9 1.55x
Thorganby Cum West 9 410.96x
Wednesbury 9 6.77x
Acton 8 8.66x
Barking 8 8.79x
Devizes St Mary 8 56.82x
Henham 8 181.00x
Limehouse London 8 4.63x
Littleport 8 41.97x
Newington 8 1.37x
Pirbright 8 205.13x
Prittlewell 8 18.56x
St George Hanover Square 8 2.88x
St Marylebone London 8 0.95x
Ulting 8 909.09x
Wandsworth 8 5.28x
Ware 8 25.70x
Witley 8 148.15x
Arnold 7 22.58x
Clare 7 76.17x
Compton 7 273.44x
Ealing 7 4.97x
Elsenham 7 277.78x
Farnborough 7 20.64x
Mortlake 7 20.46x
Rochford 7 77.35x
Walton 7 101.89x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 104
John 61
James 57
George 55
Henry 54
Thomas 42
Charles 41
Robert 28
Alfred 26
Frederick 23
Joseph 21
Arthur 19
Samuel 15
Albert 13
Harry 12
Ernest 11
Walter 11
Daniel 9
Frank 8
David 7
Edward 7
Richard 7
Herbert 6
Edwin 5
Francis 5
Benjamin 4
Fred 4
Fredk. 4
Peter 4
Thos. 4
Anthony 3
Stephen 3
Edgar 2
Fredric 2
Geo. 2
Horace 2
Joshua 2
Tom 2
W. 2
Willm. 2
Amos 1
Bertie 1
C. 1
Eli 1
Elijah 1
Ephraim 1
Hugh 1
Inis 1
Isaac 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hockley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hockley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,615 people were recorded with the Hockley surname. That placed it at #2,642 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hockley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,890 in 2016. That gives Hockley a modern rank of #3,367.

What does the Hockley surname mean?

A locational surname originating from places in England called Hockley.

What does the Hockley map show?

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