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Show ContentsHockley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The ancient history of the Hockley name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in the regions of Hockley in Essex and Wales. The surname Hockley originally derived from the Old English word hoccsleah which referred to someone who lived close to hills. 1

The Hockey variant was derived from the "Anglo-Saxon personal name Hoc, Hoc(c)a, with the diminutive suffix -y." 2

Early Origins of the Hockley family

The surname Hockley was first found in Essex at Hockley, a parish, in the union and hundred of Rochford, about 2¼ miles from Rayleigh. 3 4 5 This place dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was known as Hocheleia. 6

And this is where we found Michael de Hockele listed in the Feet of Fines for 1203. Over one hundred years later in Worcestershire, Nicholas de Hockelaye was found in the Subsidy Rolls for 1332. 7

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had only listing for the family, that of William de Hokkele in Huntingdonshire. 8 In Somerset, Thomas de Hokkeleghe was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of Edward III's reign.) 9

Early History of the Hockley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hockley research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1220, 1273, 1593, 1606 and 1707 are included under the topic Early Hockley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hockley Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Hockley include Hockley, Hockly, Hokeley, Hokelley and others.

Early Notables of the Hockley family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

  • Hockley of St...

United States Hockley migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hockley or a variant listed above:

Hockley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mr. James Hockley, who left England and arrived in Maryland in 1634 aboard the ship "Ark and Dove"
  • Michael Hockley, who arrived in Maryland in 1671 10
Hockley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Hockley, who landed in South Carolina in 1765 10
  • Thomas Hockley, who settled in New England in 1765
  • Thomas Hockley, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1776 10
Hockley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Hockley and wife settled in New York in 1820
  • David Hockley, who settled in Bermuda in 1850
  • William Hockley, who arrived in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1887 10

Australia Hockley migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Hockley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • James Hockley, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on September 21, 1826, settling in New South Wales, Australia 11
  • Ephraim Hockley, English convict from Cambridge, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on November 13, 1832, settling in New South Wales, Australia 12
  • J. Hockley, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asia" in 1839 13
  • Mr. John Hockley, English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for 8 years, transported aboard the "Eden" on 30th September 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 14
  • Jane Hockley, aged 17, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Caucasian" 15

New Zealand Hockley migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Hockley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mrs. Huldah Hockley, (b. 1815), aged 48, European settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 16
  • Miss Huldah J. Hockley, (b. 1835), aged 28, European settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 16
  • Miss Elizabeth Hockley, (b. 1842), aged 21, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 16
  • Miss Ann Hockley, (b. 1836), aged 28, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship "Glenmark" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1865 16
  • Miss Ellen Hockley, (b. 1845), aged 19, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship "Glenmark" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1865 16

Contemporary Notables of the name Hockley (post 1700) +

  • Irvin K. Hockley, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Cameron County, 1893-94; Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1912 17
  • Matthew Hockley (b. 1982), English former professional footballer
  • Jayne Hockley, Australian classical harpist
  • William Hockley Ph.D., Canadian Professor in the Department of Psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University
  • General Sir Anthony Farrar Hockley GBE, KCB, DSO & Bar, MC (1924-2006), British soldier and a military historian
  • Deborah "Debbie" Ann Hockley (b. 1962), former New Zealand cricketer
Halifax Explosion
  • Master Alfred R.  Hockley (1910-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 18
  • Master Patricia  Hockley (1912-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 18
  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  5. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  6. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  7. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  8. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  9. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  10. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  11. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Albion voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1826 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1826
  12. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 27) Andromeda voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1832 with 186 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1832
  13. State Library of South Australia. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) ASIA 1839 from London with Captain Benjamin Freeman and 245 passengers, arrived Port Adelaide on 16-07-1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Asia-list.htm
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th November 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
  15. South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BARQUE CAUCASIAN 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/caucasian1852.shtml
  16. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  17. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  18. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
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