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Hockley Family History

Hockley Surname Meaning

English (Essex and London): habitational name from Hockley (Essex) or occasionally from any of various places in Warwickshire called Hockley from the Old English personal name Hocca or Old English hocc ‘hock mallow’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. variant of Oakley with prosthetic H-.

Perhaps a variant of Ockley with prosthetic H- probably a habitational name from Ockley (Surrey) or Ockley Common in Peper Harow (Surrey).

Though no definite evidence has yet been found of a medieval surname from either placename, these names probably derive from the Old English personal name Occa + Old English lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

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


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Where is the Hockley family from?

You can see how Hockley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hockley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hockley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 424 Hockley families living in London. This was about 25% of all the recorded Hockley's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Hockley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hockley 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 Hockley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Hockley. 8% of Hockley men worked as a Bricklayer and 75% of Hockley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Hockley were Gardener and Housewife.

View Census Data for Hockley | 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

  • Bricklayer
    8%
  • General Labourer
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    8%
  • Gardener
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Hockley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 47,000 census records available for the last name Hockley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hockley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Hockley

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Hockley. 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 Hockley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Hockley. For the veterans among your Hockley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hockley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Hockley family history

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What is the average Hockley lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Hockley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1974. The average life expectancy for Hockley in 1959 was 55, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hockley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Hockley 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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