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

Cooksey, 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 Cooksey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cooksey in America

Cooksey is the 5187th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cooksey surname appeared 6,740 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 Cooksey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cooksey 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 Cooksey

The surname Cooksey is of English origin, and it first emerged in the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "coc," which meant a cook or someone who prepared food. The name was likely an occupational surname given to individuals who worked as cooks or chefs.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Cooksey can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from the year 1275, where it appears as "Cokesye." This spelling suggests that the name was initially derived from the combination of the Old English word "coc" and the Old English suffix "-ey," which denoted a person's occupation or place of residence.

During the Middle Ages, the name Cooksey was primarily concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire and Warwickshire in the West Midlands region of England. It is possible that the name originated from a specific place name, such as Cooksey Green, a small hamlet in Worcestershire.

One of the earliest documented references to the Cooksey name can be found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a certain William Cooksey is mentioned. This record provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the Cooksey surname appeared in the parish records of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of the renowned playwright William Shakespeare. One notable individual from this period was John Cooksey, who was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1567 and served as a prominent citizen and alderman in the town.

The 17th century saw the Cooksey name spreading beyond the West Midlands region. In 1642, during the English Civil War, a certain Captain Richard Cooksey fought for the Parliamentarian forces and was mentioned in historical accounts of the conflict.

Another notable figure from this time period was Thomas Cooksey, a successful merchant and landowner who lived in Warwickshire in the late 17th century. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and contributed to the construction of several churches and public buildings in the region.

In the 18th century, the Cooksey surname continued to be associated with various professions and trades. One example is William Cooksey, a renowned clockmaker from Stratford-upon-Avon, who crafted intricate timepieces that were highly sought after during his lifetime (1715-1790).

The 19th century saw several individuals with the Cooksey name making their mark in various fields. One such person was John Cooksey, a renowned architect from Birmingham, who designed several notable buildings in the city, including the Birmingham Town Hall (1834-1892).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cooksey

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

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

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

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