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Origins of the Cook surname

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What does the name Cook mean?

The Cook surname comes from Old English, and is common throughout the English-speaking world. The origins of the surname Cook are occupational, derived from the word 'coc'. This name could be used to describe someone who not only cooked, but sold cooked meat, or ran an inn or eating-house.

Alternative variations of the name Cook

Cook, Cooke, Couk, Cock, Coocke

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Where do most Cooks live?

In 1921, most Cooks lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Cooks

How common is your surname?

44th most common surname in the UK

We have 596,000 records for the Cook surname. The oldest one dates back to 1220.

Who were Cooks most likely to marry?

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Cooks.

What are the most common Cook first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Cook family members

Common jobs for Cooks

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Cooks in 1921
Dressmaker

2,541

Laundress

1,854

Domestic Servant

1,602

General Servant Domestic

1,429

House Servant

1,299

Common Male occupations for Cooks in 1921
Agricultural Labourer

3,689

Coal Miner

2,543

General Labourer

2,399

Farm Labourer

1,993

Carpenter

1,651

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We found over 720,000 family trees with the Cook surname

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