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Cockayne Family History

Cockayne Surname Meaning

English (Midlands and Yorkshire): nickname for a dreamer from Middle English cokayne ‘cloud-cuckooland’ the name of an imaginary paradise (Old French (pays de) cocaigne from Middle Low German kōkenje a diminutive of kōke ‘cake’ since in this land the houses were thought to be made of cake).

It may also be a variant of Cocking or from the unflattering Middle English nickname cokin (Old French coquin) ‘disreputable person’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Cockayne family from?

You can see how Cockayne families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cockayne family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cockayne families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 247 Cockayne families living in Derbyshire. This was about 23% of all the recorded Cockayne's in United Kingdom. Derbyshire had the highest population of Cockayne families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cockayne surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Cockayne ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Colliery Hewer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Cockayne. 14% of Cockayne men worked as a Colliery Hewer and 72% of Cockayne women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cockayne were Carpenter joiner and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Cockayne | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Colliery Hewer
    14%
  • Insurance Agent
    12%
  • Private Gardener
    10%
  • Carpenter joiner
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%

What Cockayne family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Cockayne. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cockayne census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cockayne

Passenger Lists

There are 979 immigration records available for the last name Cockayne. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Cockayne immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Cockayne. For the veterans among your Cockayne ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cockayne military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cockayne family history

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What is the average Cockayne lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2003, in the United States, Cockayne life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Cockayne in 1949 was 32, and 85 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cockayne

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cockayne ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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