Cuckney Family History

In S England, a variant of Cookney is noted. In N England, it perhaps derives from Cuckney (Notts). The place-name is recorded as Cokeneye in 1211 and originates from an Old English personal name *Cuca (genitive *Cucan) combined with Old English ēg meaning ‘island’.

However, despite the 1802 bearer listed below in Cuckney itself, it is uncertain whether the medieval family name from this location survived into the modern period. Later spellings with Cock- may represent variants of Cockayne, as explicitly referenced in Anne Cockayne or Cockanie 1618 in PROB 11 (Harthill, Derbys).

The 1802 example may also reflect this name altered to Cuckney by association with the place-name.