Cockes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
England
Ireland

The name Cockes is of Anglo-Saxon origin. It was name for a person who bore a fancied resemblance to a rooster. It was applied both to early risers and those who strutted proudly. "Thus 'cock' became the general sobriquet of a sharp and forward lad." 1 Alternatively, the name could have been derived as "a term of endearment, a diminutive, the same as ot or kin, used as a termination." 2

Early Origins of the Cockes family

The surname Cockes was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where Aluuinus Coc was recorded in Cambridgeshire in 1066. In London, Coc de domo Abraham was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1192. Later in Lincolnshire, Koc filius Pertuin was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of 1230 and Cock le Botiller was found in Cambridgeshire in 1281. Koc Forester and Kok de mari were both found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. William and Godard le Cock were registered in Staffordshire in 1271 and Thomas le Cok was listed in the Assize Rolls for Essex in 1285. 3 In Shropshire, the first record of the family was found the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 as Coc de Slepe. 1

"Though also scattered about the midland counties, Cox finds its great home in the south of England in the contiguous counties of Dorset and Somerset. It is fairly numerous in the counties of Gloucester, Oxford, and Warwickshire. Rare or absent in the north of England and in the eastern coast counties." 4

Early History of the Cockes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cockes research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1546, 1547, 1552, 1572, 1575, 1578, 1581, 1595, 1596, 1609, 1617, 1646, 1650, 1655, 1703, 1707, 1727, 1733, 1734, 1827, 1868 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Cockes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cockes Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Cockes have been found, including Cox, Coxe and others.

Early Notables of the Cockes family

Notables of the family at this time include Richard Cox (c. 1500-1581), English clergyman, Dean of Westminster and Bishop of Ely, Chancellor of the University of Oxford (1547-1552); Charles Cocks (1646-1727), British Member of Parliament for Droitwich and Worcester; Robert Cox...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cockes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cockes family to Ireland

Some of the Cockes family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cockes migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become powerful new nations. Among early immigrants of the Cockes surname to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were:

Cockes Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Rich Cockes, who landed in Virginia in 1658 5

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
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)