Cooke is a surname of

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and Irish origin derived from the occupation of

cook Cook or The Cook may refer to: Food preparation * Cooking, the preparation of food * Cook (domestic worker), a household staff member who prepares food * Cook (professional), an individual who prepares food for consumption in the food industry * ...

and

anglicisation Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...

of various

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

names. Variants include

Cook Cook or The Cook may refer to: Food preparation * Cooking, the preparation of food * Cook (domestic worker), a household staff member who prepares food * Cook (professional), an individual who prepares food for consumption in the food industry * ...

and McCook.

Irish surname origin

Cooke (rather than Cook) is the usual spelling of the surname in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, where it is found throughout all four provinces. In

Connacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...

, Cooke is the modern anglicized form of the

name Mac Dhabhóc (also called Mac Uag). In

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...

, it is mainly an occupational name, long established there. In 1465, a law was passed that impacted Gaelic surnames in several counties in Leinster, specifically,

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

, Meath,

Louth Louth may refer to: Australia *Hundred of Louth, a cadastral unit in South Australia * Louth, New South Wales, a town *Louth Bay, a bay in South Australia **Louth Bay, South Australia, a town and locality Canada * Louth, Ontario Ireland * County ...

and

Kildare Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 8,634 making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. The town lies on the R445, some west of Dublin – near enough for it to have become, despite being a regional cen ...

. The law required that "every Irishman, dwelling betwixt or amongst Englishmen... shall take to him an English surname of one town, as Sutton, Chester, Trim, Skryne, Cork, Kinsale; or colour, as white, black, browne; or art or science, as smith or carpenter; or office, as cooke, butler...". In

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...

, many Cookes descend from the MacCooks (MacCuagh) of Kintyre, a branch of the Clan MacDonald.

English surname origin

Cooke is a variant of the more common spelling

People with the surname

Notable people with the surname include: * Alec Cooke (1920-2007), Northern Irish politician * Alexander Cooke (died 1614), English actor * Alfred Tyrone Cooke, of the Indo-Pakistani wars * Alistair Cooke KBE (1908–2004), British-American journalist and broadcaster *

Amos Starr Cooke Amos Starr Cooke (December 1, 1810 – March 20, 1871) was an American educator and businessman in the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was patriarch of a family that influenced Hawaii during the 20th century. Life Amos Starr Cooke was born in Danbury, Co ...

(1810–1871), found of Royal School and Castle & Cooke in Hawaii *

Anna Rice Cooke Anna Rice Cooke (September 5, 1853 – August 8, 1934) was a patron of the arts and the founder of the Honolulu Museum of Art. Biography Anna Charlotte Rice was born on September 5, 1853, into a prominent missionary family on Oahu, Hawaii. Her fa ...

(1853–1934), patron of the arts and founder of the Honolulu Academy of Arts * Anne Margaret Cooke (1907–1997) also known as Anne Cooke Reid, African-American stage director and academic * Anthony Cooke (1505–1576), British scholar * Aoife Cooke (born 1986), Irish long-distance runner and Olympian *

Baden Cooke Baden Cooke (born 12 October 1978) is an Australian retired professional racing cyclist, who competed professionally between 2000 and 2013. Early life Born in Benalla, Victoria, Benalla, Victoria, Cooke began competitive cycling at 11. He comp ...

(born 1978), Australian cyclist *

Barrie Cooke Barrie C. Cooke (1931 – 4 March 2014) was an English-born Irish abstract expressionist painter. Cooke was born in Knutsford, to an English father and an American mother, and spent part of his childhood in Jamaica and Bermuda, before moving to ...

(1931–2014), Irish painter *

Bates Cooke Bates Cooke (December 23, 1787 – May 31, 1841) was an American lawyer and politician. Life He was the son of Captain Lemuel Cooke who had fought in the American Revolutionary War. Bates and his brother Lathrop participated in the War of 1812. ...

, US Representative 1831–1833, and NY State Comptroller 1839–1841 *

Benjamin Cooke Benjamin Cooke (1734 – 14 September 1793) was an English composer, organist and teacher. Cooke was born in London and named after his father, also Benjamin Cooke (1695/1705 – 1743), a music publisher based in Covent Garden (active from 1 ...

(1734–1793), British musician * Beryl Cooke (1906–2001), British actress * Carolyn Jess-Cooke (born 1978) Northern Irish poet and novelist *

C. R. Cooke Lieutenant-Colonel Conrad Reginald Cooke, OBE (31 August 1901 – 27 December 1996) was an English early Himalayan mountaineer. In 1935, alone and without oxygen, he reached the summit of Kabru North. His achievement remained the highest sol ...

(Conrad Reginald Cooke, 1901–1996), English early Himalayan mountaineer * Charles Cooke (disambiguation), several people * Chauncey H. Cooke (1846–1919), American soldier in the U.S. Civil War *

Christian Cooke Christian Louis Cooke (born 15 September 1987) is an English actor. He is known for playing Luke Kirkwall in '' Where the Heart Is'', Luke Rutherford in ''Demons'', Dorian Gaudain in ''Trinity'', Freddie Taylor in '' Cemetery Junction'' and Len ...

(born 1986), English actor *

Clarence Hyde Cooke Clarence Hyde Cooke (April 17, 1876 – August 23, 1944) was a politician and businessman in Honolulu. Life Clarence Cooke was born April 17, 1876 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was the second son of Charles Montague Cooke and Anna Rice Cooke, and gra ...

(1876–1944), businessman in Hawaii * Dave Cooke, Canadian politician * Denise D'Ascenzo Cooke (19582019), American news anchor *

Derek Cooke Derek Cooke Jr. (born August 23, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for Treviso Basket of the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He played three years of Division I college basketball for Wyoming. High school career Cooke attended Frien ...

(born 1991), basketball player for Hapoel Gilboa Galil of the

Israeli Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl ( he, ליגת העל, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is the top-tier level league of professional sports, professional competition in Israeli sports club, club basketball, making ...

Deryck Cooke Deryck Cooke (14 September 1919 – 26 October 1976) was a British musician, musicologist, broadcaster and Gustav Mahler expert. Life Cooke was born in Leicester to a poor, working-class family; his father died when he was a child, but his mother ...

(1919–1975), British musicologist *

Doc Cook Charles L. Cooke (September 3, 1891 – December 25, 1958), known as Doc Cook, was an American jazz bandleader and arranger. Cook was a Doctor of Music, awarded by the Chicago Musical College in 1926. Born in Louisville, he first worked as a compo ...

(Charles L. Cooke, 1891–1958), American jazz bandleader *

Dusty Cooke Allen Lindsey "Dusty" Cooke (June 23, 1907 – November 21, 1987), was an American professional baseball outfielder, coach, and manager, in Major League Baseball (MLB), who played for three different big league teams, between and . During his p ...

(1907–1987), American professional baseball player *

Eamonn Cooke "Captain" Eamonn Cooke (died 4 June 2016) was a former owner of pirate radio station Radio Dublin. He was a convicted paedophile, and a suspect in the disappearance of Philip Cairns. He assumed ownership of the station in 1977. Pirate radio As o ...

(1936-2016) Irish broadcaster and convicted paedophile *

Edmund F. Cooke Edmund Francis Cooke (April 13, 1885 – May 13, 1967) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. Early life Cooke was born in Prescott, Arizona, then a small frontier town. In his infancy, the Yavapai ...

(1885–1967), US congressman from New York * Edward William Cooke (1811–1880), English maritime artist * Emer Cooke (born 1961) Irish pharmacist and Executive Director of the EMA * Eric Edgar Cooke, Australian murderer * Francis Cooke, Passenger on the Mayflower *

Francis Judd Cooke Francis Judd Cooke (December 28, 1910 – May 18, 1995) was an American composer, organist, cellist, pianist, conductor, choir director, and professor. Life Cooke was born December 28, 1910 in Honolulu, Hawaii, to a family of New England mi ...

(1910–1995), American composer * Fred Cooke (born 1980) Irish comedian *

Gary Cooke Gary Cooke is an Irish actor, satirist and writer who is one of the stars, on screen, of ''Après Match'' and, on stage, ''I, Keano'' and ''MacBecks''. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of media personality Eamon Dunphy, although he ...

, Irish actor, satirist and writer *

Geoff Cooke (disambiguation) Geoff Cooke may refer to: * Geoff Cooke (rugby union) (born 1941), England rugby coach *Geoff Cooke (cyclist) (born 1944), British former national cycling coach See also *Geoffrey Cook (disambiguation) Geoff(rey) Cook may refer to: *Geoffrey Cooke ...

, several people *

George Cooke (disambiguation) George Cooke may refer to: * Sir George Cooke, 3rd Baronet (1662–1732), British MP for Aldborough, 1698–1700 * George Cooke (Australian politician) (1869–1938), member of the South Australian House of Assembly for Barossa * George Cooke (di ...

, several people *

Gordon Cooke Gordon Cooke (born 24 July 1975) is a former Irish cricketer, from Derry, Northern Ireland. A right-handed batsman and right-arm medium-fast bowler, he played 66 times for the Irish cricket team between 1994 and 2005. He made his debut for Ire ...

, (born 1975) Irish cricketer * Henry Cooke, (1788–1868) Irish Presbyterian minister *

H. Basil S. Cooke Herbert Basil Sutton Cooke (17 October 1915 – 3 May 2018) was a South African-Canadian geologist and palaeontologist, and Emeritus Professor at Dalhousie University. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, he was educated at King Edward VII Schoo ...

(1915–2018), Canadian paleontologist * Hope Cooke, Queen of Sikkim * Jack Kent Cooke (1912–1997), Canadian entrepreneur *

James Cooke-Collis Major-General Sir (William) James Norman Cooke-Collis, (7 May 1876 – 14 April 1941) was General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland District. Military career Cooke-Collis was born on 7 May 1876 in Castle Cooke, Kilworth, Co. Cork to Lt.-Co ...

(1876-1941) Irish born British Army General * Sir

James Douglas Cooke Sir James Douglas Cooke, FRCS (1879 – 13 July 1949) was a Conservative politician from England. He served as the British Conservative politician for Hammersmith South In 1931, he became a member of Parliament, where he remained until ...

(1879–1949), MP for Hammersmith South *

James J. Cooke James J. Cooke (2 August 1939 – 28 March 2016) was an American historian, author, academic and soldier. He is known for his studies of the American armed forces during World War I. Early life Born at St. Mary's Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland ...

, American historian, author, academic and soldier * James W. Cooke, American naval officer *

Janet Cooke Janet Leslie Cooke (born July 23, 1954) is an American former journalist. She received a Pulitzer Prize in 1981 for an article written for '' The Washington Post''. The story was later discovered to have been fabricated and Cooke returned the Pul ...

(born 1954), American journalist, won a Pulitzer Prize for a fabricated story *

Jay Cooke Jay Cooke (August 10, 1821 – February 16, 1905) was an American financier who helped finance the Union war effort during the American Civil War and the postwar development of railroads in the northwestern United States. He is generally acknowle ...

(1821–1905), American financier, notable for financing Union effort in Civil War and Northern Pacific Railway * Jennifer Cooke, actress *

Jim Cooke Jim Cooke is a retired science teacher from Dublin, Ireland. He taught primarily physics, but also maths, science and applied maths. He was educated at Synge Street CBS, and taught there for nearly 40 years. During his time there, he achieve ...

, Irish teacher of maths and physics *

John Cooke (disambiguation) John Cooke may refer to: Politicians * John R. Cooke (1788–1854), Virginia planter, lawyer and politician * John Robert Cooke (1866–1934), political figure in Ontario *John Herbert Cooke (1867–1943), Australian politician * John B. Cooke (1 ...

, several people *

John J. Cooke (actor) John J. Cooke (born John Joseph Cooke; 1874 – 1921) was an American stage performer and a silent film actor. Cooke was born on October 1, 1874, in Manhattan, New York. He was 47 when he died in Los Angeles, California on October 2, 1921. Betw ...

(1874-1921) American Actor of Silent Era * John William Cooke (1919–1968), Argentine politician and revolutionary *

Joseph Platt Cooke Joseph Platt Cooke (January 4, 1730 – February 3, 1816) was an American military officer in the Revolutionary War, a Connecticut politician, and twice a delegate to the Congress of the Confederation. He was born in Stratford, Connecticut an ...

(1730–1816), in American Revolutionary War *

L. J. Cooke Louis Joseph "L. J." "Doc" Cooke (February 15, 1868 – August 19, 1943) was the first head men’s basketball coach at the University of Minnesota. He coached the Minnesota Golden Gophers men’s basketball team for 28 seasons. Cooke also serv ...

(Louis Joseph Cooke, 1868–1943), first men's basketball coach at the University of Minnesota *

Lawrence H. Cooke Lawrence Henry Cooke (October 15, 1914, Monticello, Sullivan County, New York – August 17, 2000, Monticello, Sullivan Co., NY) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1979 ...

(1914–2000), Chief Judge of New York Court of Appeals 1979–1984 * Logan Cooke (born 1995), American football player * Lorrin A. Cooke (1831–1902), American politician, governor of Connecticut * Marcia G. Cooke (1954-2023), American jurist *

Martin Cooke (disambiguation) Martin Cooke may refer to: * Martin Cooke (baritone), opera singer * Martin Cooke (mayor), mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey, 1912–1915 See also *Marty Cook Marty Cook (born May 1947) is an American jazz trombonist. Biography Cook was born in New ...

, several people *

Matt Cooke Matthew David Cooke (born September 7, 1978) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played sixteen seasons and 1046 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). Cooke won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins during t ...

, hockey player * Matthew Cooke (1829-1887), Irish entomologist * Mel Cooke (1934–2013), New Zealand rugby league footballer * Mick Cooke (born 1951), Irish association football manager * Mildred Cooke (1524-1589) - was an English noblewoman and translator. *

Mordecai Cubitt Cooke Mordecai Cubitt Cooke (12 July 1825, in Horning, Norfolk – 12 November 1914, in Southsea, Hampshire) was an English botanist and mycologist who was, at various points, a London schoolteacher, a Kew mycologist, curator at the India Museum, jour ...

(1825–1914), British botanist *

Nathaniel Cooke Nathaniel Cooke was the designer of a set of chess figures called the Staunton chess set which is now the standard set. Chess set Cooke registered his design at the United Kingdom Patent Office on 1 March 1849 under the Ornamental Designs Ac ...

(19th century), designer of the standard set of chess figures *

Nelson Cooke Nelson Ripley Cooke AM (21 December 1919 – 7 February 2018) was an Australian cellist who was principal cellist at the London Symphony Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras during the 1950s and 1960s. Career Cooke was born in Bellbir ...

(1919–2018), Australian cellist *

Nicole Cooke Nicole Denise Cooke, MBE (born 13 April 1983) is a Welsh former professional road bicycle racer and Commonwealth, Olympic and World road race champion. At Beijing in 2008 she became the first British woman to win a Gold Olympic medal in any cyc ...

(born 1983), British cyclist *

Peter Cooke (Scouting) Peter Cooke served as the Overseas Secretary and the Commonwealth Secretary of the Scout Association. In 1978, Cooke was awarded the 126th ''Bronze Wolf'', the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement The World Organiza ...

* Philip St. George Cooke (1809–1895), 19th century US cavalry officer * Pinny Cooke (1923–2004), New York politician, assemblywoman from Rochester * Ricky Cooke (born 1969), Australian racewalker *

Robin Cooke, Baron Cooke of Thorndon Robin Brunskill Cooke, Baron Cooke of Thorndon (9 May 1926 – 30 August 2006) was a New Zealand judge and later a British Law Lord and member of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. He is widely considered one of New Zealand's mos ...

, New Zealand judge *

Rose Terry Cooke Rose Terry Cooke (February 17, 1827 – July 18, 1892) was an American author and poet. Some of her earliest contributions were published in ''Putnam's Magazine''; and the ''Atlantic Monthly'', in which she wrote the leading story in the first n ...

(1827–1892), American author, poet * Ross Cooke (born 1988), English professional wrestler * Sam Cooke (1931–1964), American singer/songwriter * Sir

Samuel Cooke Samuel Winter Cooke (13 March 1847 – 26 June 1929) was an Australian politician. Early life Cooke was the son of pastoralist Cecil Pybus Cooke and Arbella, née Winter. He was sent to England for his schooling, where he attended Mr ...

(1912–1978), British judge *

Samuel Nathaniel Cooke Samuel Nathaniel Cooke Jr. (26 June 1882 – 11 April 1964) was an English architect active in Birmingham, England in the early to mid 20th century. He was almost invariably credited as S. N. Cooke and his later work was carried out under the aus ...

(S. N. Cooke) (1883–1964), English architect *

Sarah Cooke Sarah Cooke (died 1688) was an English stage actress of the seventeenth century. She was a member of the King's Company, based at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. She played a number of lead roles during the 1680s. Her aunt was the governess to t ...

(died 1688), English actress *

Sasha Cooke Sasha Cooke is an American mezzo-soprano. Cooke was born in Riverside, California, and grew up in College Station, Texas, where her parents are professors of Russian at Texas A&M University. She earned a bachelor's degree from Rice University and ...

, American mezzo-soprano * Senan Cooke (born 1945), Irish hurler * Sidney Cooke (born 1927), paedophile and child killer * Steve Cooke (born 1970), baseball player * Tadgh Cooke, Irish musician * Terence Cooke (1921–1983), Irish American Cardinal, and Archbishop of New York *

Thomas Cooke (disambiguation) Thomas, Tommy or Tom Cooke may refer to: *Thomas Cooke (author) (1703–1756), English translator of the classics *Thomas Simpson Cooke (1782–1848), Irish composer, singer and theatre musician *Thomas Taplin Cooke (1782–1866), English showman * ...

, several people * Thomas Simpson Cooke (1782-1848), Irish composer * Tommy Cooke (1914-2014), Irish hurler and

Gaelic football Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by ki ...

er * Trish Cooke (born 1962), children's TV presenter, author and playwright *

Ultan Cooke Ultan Cooke (Galway, County Galway) is an Irish head chef. He was formally employed at restaurant Aniar in Galway where he was awarded a Michelin star. Cooke studied philosophy and archaeology at the National University of Ireland, Galway. He s ...

, Irish chef *

Walter E. Cooke Walter E. Cooke (November 22, 1910 – December 31, 1982) was an American politician from New York. Life He was born on November 22, 1910, in Brooklyn, New York City. He married Lillian Reilly, and they had three daughters. Cooke was a member of ...

(1910–1982), New York politician *

Walter H. Cooke Walter Howard Cooke (21 July 1838 – 28 January 1909) was a Union Army officer who fought in the American Civil War. Cooke received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the First Battle of ...

(1838–1909), American recipient of the Medal of Honor *

Weldon B. Cooke Weldon Bagster Cooke (28 June 1884 - September 16, 1914) was a pioneer aviator. Early life He was born on June 28, 1884, in Oakland, California, to Ada L. and William H. Cooke. Cooke grew up in Lockeford, California. Cooke's grandfather, Dr. Dean ...

(1884–1914), American pioneer aviator killed in crash *

Wells Cooke Wells Woodbridge Cooke (25 January 1858 – 30 March 1916), was an American ornithologist who was called the “father of cooperative study of bird migration in America”. Cooke was the fifth child (of nine) and the eldest son of Rev. Elisha Wo ...

(1858–1916), American ornithologist *

William Cooke (disambiguation) William Cooke or Bill Cooke may refer to: Sports *Harry Cooke (born William Henry Cooke, 1919–1992), English footballer * William Cooke (cricketer) (1868–1954), New Zealand cricketer * William Cooke (footballer) (1915–?), English footballer ...

, several people *

Wilson Cooke Wilson Cooke (1819 –1887), was an American politician, minister, and businessman. He was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives during the Reconstruction era, serving from 1868 until 1870. A historical marker in Greenville, Sou ...

(1819 –1887), American politician and merchant *

Zia Cooke Zia Cooke (born January 9, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA. She played in college for South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). At Rogers High School in Toledo, Ohi ...

(born 2001), American basketball player

References

{{surname, Cooke English-language surnames Occupational surnames English-language occupational surnames