1921 England and Wales Census records are now available!

On 6 January 2022 the 1921 England and Wales Census records were made available online via the FindMyPast website. The records have been indexed and are searchable via the usual methods. These records are only viewable on a pay-per-view basis and are not included in any of FindMyPast's existing subscriptions with the exception of the 12 month premium subscription.

Cook records on Ancestry

Ancestry is a major source of information if you are filling out your Cook family tree. A vast range of data is available to search ranging from census records, births, deaths and marriages, military records and immigration records to name but a few. Free trials are normally available and are a good way to fill out a lot of your tree quickly.

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Historical References

"COOK, COOKE. A surname derived from the occupation of 'cook,' in Latin documents cociis. A very common name in early Scots records. Richard the cook (coctts) held land in Berwick after 1147 (Kelso, 34) and Jocelin Cocus held land before 1178 (Neubotle, 156). Raginaldus the cook witnessed the gift of the church of Cragyn in Kyle to the Abbey of Paisley, a. 1177 (RMP., p. 232). John Coquis witnessed a charter by Eschina de Lundin in favor of Kelso Abbey, c. 1190 (Kelso, 147), and about the same period Hamone Cocus attested a charter by John, bishop of Dunkeld ( (Inchaffray, p. 5). Radulphus Cocus witnessed resignation of the lands of Ingilbristoun in 1204 (Dryburgh, 163), and Walterus Cocus witnessed excambion of the lands of Dolays Mychel in 1232 (REM., p. 88), and Thomas quocus witnessed a charter by Eggou ruffus of lands to the Priory of May early in the thirteenth century (RPSA., p. 383). There was a family of this name in Fife as early as 1260, when John Cocus de Balcasky and John Cocus and Richard Cocus of Abircnimby witnessed a charter by John de Dundemore to the Priory of the Isle of May (May, 29). Walter the cook held land in Brechin in 1267 (REB., I, 5), and Richard Cook, janitor, witnessed a charter in favor of Dunfermline Abbey in 1274 (RD., 207). "Henricus dictus Koc, pistor" (baker), held a croft in Aberdeen in 1281 (REA., n, p. 279), and Roger Cocus de Inuerdouete witnessed a transaction between Serlo de Lascelis and the prior of St. Andrews in 1288 (RPSA., p. 346). Martin, son of Walter Cocus, held land in Irvine in 1323 (Irvine, i, p. 123), William Cuk was concerned in a dispute anent a doublet in 1398 (CRA., p. 371), John Cuke was burgess of Edinburgh in 1402 (EgidU, p. 39), James Kok resident in Newburgh, Fife in 1479 (LAC., 153), John Cuk a follower of the earl of Cassilis was respited for murder in 1526 (RSS., i, 3386), and George Cuick was merchant burgess of Glasgow in 1645 (Inquls., 3031). Ceuk 1674, Coowk 1686, Gowk 1492, Cuch 1231, Cuik 1566, Cuyk 1540, Cuyke 1519, Cwik 1554, Kewk 1504, Kuyk 1394, and Cwke, Cwyk, Cwyke. (2) In the eighteenth century the Cooks of Arran were MACCOOK, q.v. The popular explanation is that English 'cook' was borrowed into Gaelic as cug, so Iain a' Cug is 'John son of Cook.' Neil Cuke, a follower of Donald Gorme of Sleat, had a remission in 1541 for his share in laying waste Trouterness in Sieve and Kinlochew in Ross (RSS., n, 3943). "(The surnames of Scotland. George Fraser Black, 1866-1948)

DNA

Sometimes you can run into a brick wall in your tree and you just don't have enough evidence to make that next step back in time. A DNA test can sometimes help to make a link to a particular family name if you find you share common DNA with people who have the same or similar surnames as each other. If you are lucky then you may get a match within a few generations and discover some Cook ancestors. Additionally, the modern DNA test can give you a breakdown of your ethnic mix - you may be surprised at the results!

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Birth, Death and Marriage Records for the Cook Family History

Birth, Death and Marriage records are often the best method of making the links to the Cook Genealogy that will form part of your family tree. Although records vary from country to country, they are normally the most formal record of a person's relations. From the sources below you will be able to find a birth record and, from that, a birth certificate can be ordered which lists the names of the mother and father, taking you back another generation in your tree. A marriage certificate may also list the names of the respective fathers of the bride and groom which may then help you to find them earlier in life on a census record enabling you to fill out more detail in the Cook family tree.

Check out Cook Parish Records at Find My Past.

Search the UK registered births, marriages and deaths for the Cook family name using the FreeBMD database.

Look at Genealogy BankGenealogy Bank for Cook family records.

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Search the LDS Database for records of the Cook family.

Research the Cook surname using fold3 Military Archives and view images of original Cook Military records.

ukDid you know that there are currently 68318 people with the Cook surname in the UK? Cook is now ranked number 56 for popularity in the UK.

Cook Family History Databases

Study WikiTree for user contributed Cook family records. Collaboration is encouraged so that accuracy of Cook data can be verified or corrected by other users.

Check out MyTrees for information on the Cook family and people looking to contact living Cook relations.

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Find your Irish Cook relatives on findmypast.ie

Cook Forums

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ukDid you know that there are currently 364590 people with the Cook surname in the USA? Cook is ranked number 50 for popularity in the USA.

Miscellaneous Cook Databases

Study the Ellis Island Database for information on the Cook family. This database contains over 25 million immigration records detailing passengers arriving in the United States of America.

Use the Surname Map project to look at the current distribution of the Cook surname in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Romania.