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Cockayne Family History

Cockayne Name Meaning

English (Midlands and Yorkshire): nickname for a dreamer from Middle English cokayne ‘cloud-cuckooland’ the name of an imaginary paradise (Old French (pays de) cocaigne from Middle Low German kōkenje a diminutive of kōke ‘cake’ since in this land the houses were thought to be made of cake). It may also be a variant of Cocking or from the unflattering Middle English nickname cokin (Old French coquin) ‘disreputable person’.

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


Similar surnames: Cocke, Coyne, Cocklin, Kochan, Sayne, Crayne, Courage, Cocking, Coke

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Cockayne family from?

You can see how Cockayne families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cockayne family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cockayne families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 3 Cockayne families living in Virginia. This was about 60% of all the recorded Cockayne's in USA. Virginia had the highest population of Cockayne families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cockayne surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Cockayne ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Saleslady were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Cockayne. 15% of Cockayne men worked as a Farmer and 24% of Cockayne women worked as a Saleslady. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cockayne were Salesman and Factory Worker. .

View Census Data for Cockayne | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    15%
  • Truck Driver
    12%
  • Lace Weaver
    12%
  • Salesman
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Saleslady
    24%
  • Housewife
    16%
  • Stenographer
    16%
  • Factory Worker
    16%
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What Cockayne family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Cockayne. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cockayne census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Cockayne

Passenger Lists

There are 979 immigration records available for the last name Cockayne. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Cockayne immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Cockayne military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cockayne family history

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What is the average Cockayne lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2003, in the United States, Cockayne life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Cockayne in 1949 was 32, and 85 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cockayne

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