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

Cook, 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 Cook surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cook in America

Cook is the 65th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cook surname appeared 302,589 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 103 people would have the surname Cook.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cook 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 Cook

The surname COOK has its origins in England, with records of the name dating back to the 11th century. It is an occupational surname, derived from the Old English word "coc," which referred to someone who prepared food or a cook. The name likely originated as a way to distinguish individuals by their profession or trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname COOK can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book contains entries for individuals with the surname, indicating its presence in various parts of the country during that time.

In the 13th century, the surname COOK was commonly found in various locations throughout England, including counties such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. Some early examples of the name include Roger le Coc, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, and Robert le Kok, mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Essex in 1201.

The surname COOK has also been associated with various place names, often derived from the Old English word "coc" or its variations. For instance, the village of Cookley in Worcestershire, England, was originally recorded as "Cokelie" in the Domesday Book, indicating a connection to the name.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname COOK. One prominent example is Captain James Cook (1728-1779), the famous British explorer and navigator who made three voyages to the Pacific Ocean, mapping coastlines and islands. Another notable COOK was Sir Edward Cook (1552-1634), an English politician and jurist who served as a member of Parliament and Chief Justice of the King's Bench.

Other notable figures with the surname COOK include:

• Thomas Cook (1808-1892), an English businessman who founded the travel agency Thomas Cook & Son
• Elisha Cook Jr. (1903-1995), an American character actor known for his roles in film noir and gangster movies
• Marlow Cook (1927-2016), an American country music singer and songwriter
• Robin Cook (1946-2005), a British politician who served as Foreign Secretary and Leader of the House of Commons

While the surname COOK is widely distributed across various regions and cultures today, its origins can be traced back to England, where it emerged as an occupational name for those involved in the preparation of food, reflecting the importance of this trade in daily life throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cook

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

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 Cook 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 Cook 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 Cook was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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