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

Hocking, 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 Hocking surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hocking in America

Hocking is the 10748th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hocking surname appeared 2,969 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Hocking.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hocking 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 Hocking

The surname Hocking has its origins in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hoccing" or "hoccing-leah," which referred to a meadow or clearing where hawks were kept for hunting.

During the Middle Ages, the name Hocking was predominantly found in the counties of Devon and Cornwall in the southwest of England. These regions were known for their rich hunting grounds and the practice of falconry, which may have contributed to the name's association with hawks and hunting.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hocking can be found in the Assize Rolls of Somerset from 1268, which mention a person named Robert Hocking. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Devon from 1332, where a John Hocking is listed.

In the 16th century, the name Hocking appeared in various spellings, such as Hockinge, Hockyn, and Hokyng, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that time period. The surname was also associated with several place names in Devon and Cornwall, such as Hocking Green and Hocking Hill.

Notable individuals with the surname Hocking include:

1. Richard Hocking (c. 1619-1677), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the vicar of Slapton in Devon.
2. William Hocking (1768-1835), an English engraver and copper-plate printer known for his landscapes and architectural prints.
3. Silas K. Hocking (1850-1935), a British novelist and minister who wrote over 100 books, including novels and religious works.
4. David Hocking (1923-2015), a British actor and playwright who appeared in numerous television shows and films.
5. Amanda Hocking (born 1984), an American writer known for her self-published paranormal romance and young adult novels.

While the surname Hocking has its roots in the southwestern regions of England, over time it has spread to other parts of the country and beyond, carried by families and individuals as they migrated and settled in new areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hocking

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

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

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

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