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

Pocock, 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 Pocock surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pocock in America

Pocock is the 20709th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pocock surname appeared 1,277 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Pocock.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pocock 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 Pocock

The surname Pocock originates from England, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "pohha" and "cocc," which together mean "bagged or pouched cock," referring to the male chicken. This name was likely an occupational surname, given to someone who raised or traded in poultry.

The name Pocock can be found in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mentions a Pokok de Bollenho. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also record a John Pocock. These early instances suggest the name was widespread across different regions of England by the 13th and 14th centuries.

One of the earliest known references to the Pocock name is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Pococ is listed as holding lands in Wiltshire. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence during the Norman Conquest and the early Norman period in England.

The Pocock surname has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. Sir George Pocock (1706-1792) was a renowned British naval officer who played a significant role in the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. Another prominent figure was Nicholas Pocock (1740-1821), a famous English marine artist known for his vivid depictions of naval battles and ships.

Other individuals with the Pocock surname include Thomas Pocock (1765-1837), an English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Bristol, and Isaac Pocock (1782-1835), an English Quaker merchant and abolitionist who campaigned against the slave trade.

In the literary world, Isaac Pocock (1783-1853), an English editor and writer, is remembered for his contributions to the Gentleman's Magazine and his work on the Lives of the Admirals.

The Pocock surname has undergone various spelling variations over time, including Pococke, Pockoke, and Pockocke, reflecting the diversity of regional dialects and scribal practices in different parts of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pocock

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

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

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

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