Find out how popular the last name Cockerham is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Cockerham.

Cockerham, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Cockerham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cockerham in America

Cockerham is the 6943rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cockerham surname appeared 4,830 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Cockerham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cockerham to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Cockerham

The surname Cockerham has its origins in Lancashire, England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "cocc" meaning a small hill or mound, and "ham" meaning a homestead or village. The name likely refers to a settlement situated on a small hill or raised ground.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from 1176, where it appears as "Cokereham". This spelling variation suggests that the name was initially pronounced with a hard "c" sound, similar to the modern spelling.

In the 13th century, the Cockerham family is mentioned in various records, including the Assize Rolls of Lancashire from 1246. This indicates that the family held a certain degree of prominence and landholdings in the region during this period.

The name is also associated with the village of Cockerham, located in the Wyre district of Lancashire. This village likely took its name from the same linguistic roots as the surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and the local geography.

One notable figure bearing the Cockerham surname was William Cockerham, a 16th-century English landowner and Member of Parliament for Lancashire. He was born around 1520 and served in the House of Commons during the reigns of Edward VI and Mary I.

Another historical figure was John Cockerham, a 17th-century English clergyman and author. He was born in 1628 and served as the Rector of Winwick in Lancashire. Cockerham published several religious works, including "A Practical Commentary on the Whole Book of Psalms" in 1671.

In the 18th century, Thomas Cockerham, born in 1720, was a notable clockmaker and watchmaker from Lancashire. His clocks and watches were highly regarded for their craftsmanship and precision.

The Cockerham surname also has connections to the United States, with some early immigrants bearing the name. One such individual was Samuel Cockerham, who was born in England in 1765 and later settled in Virginia in the late 18th century.

Another notable American with the Cockerham surname was John Cockerham, a 19th-century lawyer and politician from Missouri. He was born in 1825 and served as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives and as a judge in the state's circuit court.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cockerham

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Cockerham.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Cockerham was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Cockerham has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Cockerham was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Cockerham, please contact us.

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