NameCensus.

UK surname

Pocock

A locational surname derived from various place names containing the Old English elements "poc" (sack or bag) and "cocca" (hill or ridge).

In the 1881 census there were 3,154 people recorded with the Pocock surname, ranking it #1,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,326, ranked #2,047, down from #1,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane, West Berkshire and Torridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pocock is 4,226 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.5%.

1881 census count

3,154

Ranked #1,428

Modern count

3,326

2016, ranked #2,047

Peak year

1911

4,226 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pocock had 3,154 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,326 in 2016, ranked #2,047.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,226 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pocock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pocock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pocock 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 2,286 #1,291
1861 historical 2,040 #1,419
1881 historical 3,154 #1,428
1891 historical 3,376 #1,417
1901 historical 4,049 #1,392
1911 historical 4,226 #1,229
1997 modern 3,572 #1,813
1998 modern 3,680 #1,828
1999 modern 3,718 #1,827
2000 modern 3,708 #1,819
2001 modern 3,594 #1,838
2002 modern 3,636 #1,864
2003 modern 3,467 #1,914
2004 modern 3,434 #1,927
2005 modern 3,379 #1,928
2006 modern 3,359 #1,938
2007 modern 3,410 #1,923
2008 modern 3,351 #1,995
2009 modern 3,432 #1,987
2010 modern 3,477 #2,006
2011 modern 3,405 #2,026
2012 modern 3,312 #2,037
2013 modern 3,385 #2,029
2014 modern 3,377 #2,046
2015 modern 3,336 #2,043
2016 modern 3,326 #2,047

Geography

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Where Pococks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Lambeth and Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early),. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane, West Berkshire, Torridge and Sevenoaks. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 013 Taunton Deane
2 West Berkshire 001 West Berkshire
3 Torridge 008 Torridge
4 Sevenoaks 014 Sevenoaks
5 West Berkshire 017 West Berkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pocock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pocock

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Pocock is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pocock 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

Pocock falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pocock

The surname Pocock originates from England, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "pohha" and "cocc," which together mean "bagged or pouched cock," referring to the male chicken. This name was likely an occupational surname, given to someone who raised or traded in poultry.

The name Pocock can be found in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mentions a Pokok de Bollenho. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also record a John Pocock. These early instances suggest the name was widespread across different regions of England by the 13th and 14th centuries.

One of the earliest known references to the Pocock name is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Pococ is listed as holding lands in Wiltshire. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence during the Norman Conquest and the early Norman period in England.

The Pocock surname has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. Sir George Pocock (1706-1792) was a renowned British naval officer who played a significant role in the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. Another prominent figure was Nicholas Pocock (1740-1821), a famous English marine artist known for his vivid depictions of naval battles and ships.

Other individuals with the Pocock surname include Thomas Pocock (1765-1837), an English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Bristol, and Isaac Pocock (1782-1835), an English Quaker merchant and abolitionist who campaigned against the slave trade.

In the literary world, Isaac Pocock (1783-1853), an English editor and writer, is remembered for his contributions to the Gentleman's Magazine and his work on the Lives of the Admirals.

The Pocock surname has undergone various spelling variations over time, including Pococke, Pockoke, and Pockocke, reflecting the diversity of regional dialects and scribal practices in different parts of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pocock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pocock 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 549 Pococks recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.78x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 549 1.78x
Berkshire 528 22.86x
Surrey 452 3.01x
Kent 288 2.74x
Sussex 272 5.24x
Somerset 215 4.34x
Wiltshire 164 6.03x
Hampshire 142 2.25x
Hertfordshire 115 5.42x
Gloucestershire 79 1.31x
Oxfordshire 53 2.79x
Essex 41 0.67x
Buckinghamshire 40 2.15x
Monmouthshire 27 1.21x
Warwickshire 24 0.31x
Yorkshire 21 0.07x
Derbyshire 19 0.39x
Devon 19 0.30x
Staffordshire 18 0.17x
Glamorgan 17 0.32x
Lancashire 12 0.03x
Suffolk 10 0.27x
Cambridgeshire 8 0.41x
Brecknockshire 7 1.14x
Dorset 5 0.25x
Inverness-shire 5 0.54x
Lincolnshire 4 0.08x
Northamptonshire 4 0.14x
Bedfordshire 3 0.19x
Cheshire 2 0.03x
Cornwall 2 0.06x
Norfolk 2 0.04x
Northumberland 2 0.04x
Royal Navy 2 0.55x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Shropshire 1 0.04x
Worcestershire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 106 Pococks recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.39x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 106 5.39x
St Pancras London 70 2.83x
Lambeth 57 2.12x
Reading St Giles 56 24.71x
Brighton 53 5.06x
Eastbourne 51 21.36x
Berkhampstead 50 104.84x
Reading St Mary 47 25.40x
Bedminster 41 8.81x
St Marylebone London 39 2.37x
Paddington London 38 3.36x
Chelsea London 35 3.77x
Croydon 34 4.08x
Newbury 34 45.95x
Islington London 31 1.04x
Hammersmith London 30 3.96x
Chatham 27 9.35x
Kensington London 27 1.58x
Rotherhithe 26 6.84x
Brading 25 29.82x
Chieveley 25 203.75x
Greenham 24 208.15x
Hampstead London 23 4.80x
Sevenoaks 23 27.02x
Frindsbury 22 55.60x
Plumstead 22 6.29x
North Petherton 21 52.55x
Purley 21 1060.61x
Southwark St George Martyr 21 3.39x
Melksham 20 42.32x
Tonbridge 20 5.28x
Newington 19 1.67x
Reading St Lawrence 19 38.45x
Chalfont St Giles 18 135.03x
Isleworth 18 13.16x
Walcot 18 6.82x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 17 2.99x
Mile End Old Town 17 3.50x
Curry Rivell 16 96.56x
Hillingdon 16 16.31x
Northchurch 16 70.64x
Ryde 16 11.81x
St George Hanover 16 3.98x
Clapham 15 3.90x
Hove 15 6.59x
Mortlake 15 22.45x
Shoreditch London 15 1.12x
Barnes 14 22.08x
Bromley 14 8.75x
Catsfield 14 187.92x
Hackney London 14 0.81x
Hever 14 194.99x
Hooe 14 282.83x
Radley 14 241.80x
Streatham 14 6.13x
Sutton Wick 14 378.38x
Thatcham 14 39.33x
Basildon 13 187.32x
Bethnal Green London 13 0.97x
Bray 13 19.15x
Broxbourne 13 30.92x
Penge 13 6.61x
Reigate Foreign 13 8.01x
Tilehurst 13 27.86x
Whitley 13 356.16x
Clifton 12 3.93x
East Grinstead 12 16.34x
Kingston On Thames 12 3.33x
Oxted 12 66.45x
Salisbury St Thomas 12 55.63x
Stoke St Gregory 12 79.79x
West Ham 12 0.89x
Wincanton 12 47.08x
Chiddingstone 11 80.12x
Chobham 11 41.56x
Deptford St Paul 11 1.36x
Poplar London 11 1.89x
Trevethin 11 5.24x
Twickenham 11 8.34x
Whitchurch 11 115.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 173
Sarah 92
Elizabeth 90
Emily 58
Ann 57
Eliza 57
Alice 47
Ellen 47
Annie 45
Jane 44
Emma 43
Martha 36
Louisa 30
Maria 30
Edith 28
Florence 27
Harriet 27
Kate 24
Caroline 22
Fanny 21
Susan 21
Harriett 20
Charlotte 19
Lucy 18
Clara 17
Ada 16
Margaret 13
Matilda 13
Hannah 12
Sophia 12
Rebecca 11
Amy 10
Frances 10
Catherine 9
Eleanor 9
Esther 9
Julia 9
Lydia 9
Rose 9
Agnes 8
Laura 8
Anna 7
Helen 7
Mabel 7
Elizth. 6
Ethel 6
Maud 6
Rosina 6
Anne 5
Beatrice 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 172
William 159
John 134
Charles 104
Thomas 96
James 93
Henry 88
Edward 49
Joseph 47
Alfred 46
Frederick 39
Arthur 36
Albert 27
Harry 26
Richard 25
Walter 22
Herbert 17
Robert 15
Ernest 14
Frank 13
Samuel 13
Francis 10
Stephen 9
David 8
Edwin 8
Sidney 8
Fred 7
Fredk. 7
Leonard 7
Peter 7
Isaac 6
Joshua 6
Percy 6
Sydney 6
Fredrick 5
Geo. 5
Jacob 5
Wm. 5
Benjamin 4
Edmund 4
Jas. 4
Jeremiah 4
Thos. 4
Tom 4
Willm. 4
Caleb 3
Christopher 3
Jesse 3
Josiah 3
Reuben 3

FAQ

Pocock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pocock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,154 people were recorded with the Pocock surname. That placed it at #1,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pocock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,326 in 2016. That gives Pocock a modern rank of #2,047.

What does the Pocock surname mean?

A locational surname derived from various place names containing the Old English elements "poc" (sack or bag) and "cocca" (hill or ridge).

What does the Pocock map show?

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