Cooke
An occupational surname meaning “cook,” originally given to someone who prepared food professionally.
The #1,056 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 9,293 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Cooke comes from the Old English word for a cook, from Latin coquo meaning “to cook.” In medieval English it was a straightforward occupational name for someone who prepared and sold food, especially in larger households or market settings. The spelling Cooke is an older variant of Cook; both forms were common in medieval and early modern records.
History
Historical records show the name very early in England, with medieval forms such as le Cook and Cooke appearing in charters and parish registers. It became a common hereditary surname and spread widely through England, later becoming frequent in Ireland through English settlement as well. The spelling with final -e is largely historical, though it has remained in use as a family form.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley notes that Cooke is one of the classic English occupational surnames, alongside names like Smith and Butler.
From the historical record
“Guildhall Library (Bernard Kettle, Esq., Librarian), London. E. Hampden-Cooke, Esq., Barton-on-Humber. Rev. H. A. Harris, Thorndon Rectory, Eye. Norman P. JafFrey, Esq., Gorway House, Walsall. Lieut.- Colonel J. H. Leslie, 31, Kenwood Park Road, Sheffield.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)