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Cookson Family History

Cookson Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire): from Middle English cok ‘cook’ or the surname Cook + son denoting either ‘son of (the) cook’ or ‘son of (a man called) Cook’.

See Cook.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Cookson family from?

You can see how Cookson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cookson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cookson families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,984 Cookson families living in Lancashire. This was about 51% of all the recorded Cookson's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Cookson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cookson 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 Cookson ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Cookson. 9% of Cookson men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Cookson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cookson were Farm Labourer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Cookson | 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

  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Dairy Farmer
    4%
  • Farmer
    4%
  • Farm Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Cookson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 69,000 census records available for the last name Cookson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cookson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cookson

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Cookson. 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 Cookson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Cookson. For the veterans among your Cookson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cookson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cookson family history

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What is the average Cookson lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Cookson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Cookson in 1947 was 29, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cookson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cookson 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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