Surname Hocking - Meaning and Origin

Hocking: What does the surname Hocking mean?

Hocking is a name of Anglo-Saxon origin and is classified as a topographic surname, derived from geographical or man-made features in the landscape. It is believed to be derived from the Old English term "hoh", meaning "spur of a hill", combined with "-ing", denoting people living or working in a particular place. Thus, Hocking would mean the family or group that lived near or on a hill spur. So, those having Hocking as their last name could trace their ancient lineage back to ancestors who lived in such a topographical area. It's quite common in United Kingdom, especially in Cornwall. Various alternative spellings are documented, including Hockin, Hocken, and Hoching. Since surnames often served as means of identifying people by their native area or property, Hocking likely referred to families or individuals residing near a distinct hill spur in their community.

Hocking: Where does the name Hocking come from?

The last name Hocking is of Anglo-Saxon origin and primarily comes from the ancient kingdom of Wessex, which covered the southwestern part of England. In Old English, the name was initially "Hocing," denoting a person from Hockney. The name consists of two elements - "hocc," which means "angle, hook or crook," and "ing" a suffix that means "people of" or "dwellers at." Hence, it could represent dwellers at the bend or hook of a river.

Today, the name Hocking is most common in England and Australia. Several instances of the surname are found in the regions of Cornwall and Devon in southwestern England. The emigration from Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries spread the name across the English-speaking world, particularly in Australia and to a lesser extent in the United States and Canada. There's also a place called Hocking in Western Australia, named after an early 20th-century British settler, but it's unrelated to the surname's origin.

Variations of the surname Hocking

The surname Hocking is of English origin, specifically from the Cornwall region. It was typically used to denote someone from a location called Hocking, or surname could have evolved from an occupational name for a person who caught or sold herring, derived from "hock" meaning herring. The surname Hocking has several variants and similar surnames, potentially due to regional differences, pronunciation variations, or familial branch differences.

Variants and similar surnames to Hocking include Hockin, Hocken, Hokkin, Hokin, Hoching, Hockings, and Hockning. Some less common variants might include Hochkins and Hawkings. The spelling can also be slightly different depending on regional pronunciations, like Hochking in some parts of England.

Additionally, the surname has also been Anglicized from similar sounding names in other languages, such as the German surname Hochheim, which has been at times mistranslated to Hocking in English-speaking regions. Moreover, it is also plausible that the surnames beginning with similar sounding phonetics, like Hawkins or Hockinson, could have been misinterpreted as Hocking in some historical documents.

As with all surnames, accuracy in tracing the name's origin is dependent on historical records, which might contain errors due to illiteracy, incorrect pronunciations, or translations.

Famous people with the name Hocking

• David Hocking: an American television host, theologian and author
• Jeff Hocking: an American actor known for his role in “The Office”
• Don Hocking: an American football player who spent seven seasons in the NFL (1962–1968)
• Elspeth Hocking: an English poet and author
• John Hocking: a British soil scientist and agroecologist
• Henry Hocking: a prolific English novelist
• Andrew Hocking: a British lawyer and political activist
• Jonathan Hocking: an English classical composer and conductor
• Nick Hocking: an American drag racer
• Arthur Hocking: a British educator and principal at Dulwich College

Other surnames

Hockin