Show ContentsCocksey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Cocksey Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Cocksey

What does the name Cocksey mean?

The ancestors of the name Cocksey date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Cocksey family lived in Cooksey, a village in Worcestershire. 1 The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled Cochesei. It is probable that the place name meant "cock's island," or possibly "cock's stream."

Early Origins of the Cocksey family

The surname Cocksey was first found in Worcestershire where one of the first records of name was Sir Walter Cokesey of Cokesey, Worcestershire, who died 1295. He claimed descent from a family that held large estates in Kidderminster, Witley and other places. His son, Walter Cokesey held lands in Witley in 1328. A brass plate at Kidderminster Church notes the burial of Walter Cooksey in 1407. 2

Early History of the Cocksey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cocksey research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1400 and 1481 are included under the topic Early Cocksey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cocksey Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Cocksey are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Cocksey include: Cookesey, Cooksy, Cooksey, Cookesy and others.

Early Notables of the Cocksey family

Migration of the Cocksey family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Cocksey or a variant listed above: Will Cooksey and his wife Sarah and children settled in Virginia in 1623; John Cooksey settled in New England in 1767; Daniel Cooksey settled in Virginia in 1670..

Contemporary Notables of the name Cocksey (post 1700)+

  • Anne Cocksey, English wife of Henry Lee (1817-1904), a Manchester cotton manufacturer and politician

The Cocksey Motto+

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Prodesse quam conspici
Motto Translation: To do good rather than be conspicuous.
  1. Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)

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