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Cocker History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Cocker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Cocker

What does the name Cocker mean?

The name Cocker was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Cocker family lived in Norfolk. The family was originally from Cochett in Calvados, Normandy, and it is from their residence in this location that the name derives.

Early Origins of the Cocker family

The surname Cocker was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Cocker family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cocker research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1631 and 1676 are included under the topic Early Cocker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cocker Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Cocket, Cockett and others.

Early Notables of the Cocker family

More information is included under the topic Early Cocker Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cocker migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Cocker or a variant listed above:

Cocker Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Cocker, who landed in Virginia in 1637 1
Lancett Cocker, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 1
Thomas Cocker, who landed in Maryland in 1666 1
John Cocker, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1686 1
Jonathan Cocker, who landed in Virginia in 1696 1

Cocker Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Cocker, aged 21, who landed in America in 1821 1
William Cocker, who arrived in Texas in 1859 1

Cocker migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Cocker Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Cocker, British Convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Batavia" in October 1817, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 2
Mr. John Cocker, English convict who was convicted in Derby, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dromedary" on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3
William Cocker, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Rajasthan" in 1838 4
Sarah Cocker, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Rajasthan" in 1838 4
Harriet Cocker, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hooghly" in 1846 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cocker migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Cocker Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Ann Cocker, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Victory " arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 17th October 1863 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Cocker (post 1700) +

John Robert "Joe" Cocker OBE (1944-2014), English rock and blues singer, probably best known for his 1983 Grammy Award winning No. 1 hit "Up Where We Belong" and his cover of "With a Little Help from My Friends" performed at Woodstock
Chester Arthur Cocker (b. 1941), American statesman
Mac Cocker (d. 2016), English-born Australian radio announcer for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Norman Cocker (1889-1953), English organist and composer for organ
Les Cocker (1924-1979), English professional football player and a coach
John Cocker (1815-1885), English-born, Australian cricketer, known for his appearance against England in 1842
Linzey Louise Cocker (b. 1987), English actress best known for her role as Jade Webb in the BBC Three comedy-drama series Drop Dead Gorgeous
Mark Cocker (b. 1959), English author and naturalist, known for his writings in The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Times and The Independent
Jarvis Branson Cocker (b. 1963), English musician and frontman for the band Pulp
David J. Cocker (b. 1955), New Zealand fencer at the 1984 Summer Olympics
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Cocker family +

Prince of Wales colliery

Mr. John Cocker (b. 1832), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 7

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/batavia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) RAJASTHAN 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838Rajasthan.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HOOGHLY 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Hooghly.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Entombed in flood and flame (retrieved 3rd August 2021). Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20120603025705/http://www.crosskeys.me.uk/history/prince.htm