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Gockel Family History

Gockel Surname Meaning

North German: habitational name from a place in Westphalia called Gockeln. The placename is presumably derived from gok, an obsolete word for a bog.

South German (also Göckel): either a nickname for someone with a cheerful disposition from Middle High German gogel ‘cheerful lively’ or an occupational name for an entertainer (modern German Gaukler) from Middle High German gockeln goukeln, Middle Low German gōkelen ‘to perform tricks’.

South German (Göckel): from a vernacular pet form of the personal name Jacob. Compare Goeckel and Kegley.

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


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Where is the Gockel family from?

You can see how Gockel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gockel family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Gockel families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 6 Gockel families living in London. This was 100% of all the recorded Gockel's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Gockel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gockel 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 Gockel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Bookkeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gockel. 24% of Gockel men worked as a Laborer and 19% of Gockel women worked as a Bookkeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gockel were Clerk and Stenographer.

View Census Data for Gockel | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    24%
  • Salesman
    19%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Clerk
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Bookkeeper
    19%
  • Housewife
    19%
  • Nurse
    14%
  • Stenographer
    14%

What Gockel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Gockel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gockel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gockel

Passenger Lists

There are 510 immigration records available for the last name Gockel. 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 Gockel immigration records

Draft Cards

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

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You've only scratched the surface of Gockel family history

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What is the average Gockel lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Gockel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1980. The average life expectancy for Gockel in 1952 was 56, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gockel

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gockel 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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