The Hooker surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 16,646 people carried this name — #2,185 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 17,700 people counted. That is up 1% from 16,479 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Hooker surname

A surname originating as an occupation for a maker of hooks.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Hooker» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as an occupational name: ‘the hooker’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Robert le Hoker, Kent, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 396 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Hooker was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Kent: 21 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 476. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Kent 21
Surrey 20

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

68 Hooker families were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 413 people lived in those households, 6.1 to a family on average. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 16
Connecticut 15
Massachusetts 10
Vermont 9
New Hampshire 5
South Carolina 5
Maryland 4
New York 2
Pennsylvania 1
Virginia 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 246 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Hooker in American newspapers,
1882–1909.

Newspaper page from The Comet carrying the name Hooker
The Comet 1882-04-01
Newspaper page from The Daily Missoulian carrying the name Hooker
The Daily Missoulian 1909-04-09
Newspaper page from The Weekly Clarion carrying the name Hooker
The Weekly Clarion 1882-04-05

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 8,061 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Hooker in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2010s.

17,520 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Hooker. The most, 2,528, date from the 1910s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Queensland, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 6,146
Queensland 4,214
South Australia 2,553
Victoria 2,541
Tasmania 930
Western Australia 926
ACT (Canberra) 162
Northern Territory 23

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Hooker.

Who carried it

People named Hooker,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Hooker
    John Hooker 1527–1601 · politician
  • Richard Hooker
    Richard Hooker 1554–1600 · writer
  • Thomas Hooker
    Thomas Hooker 1586–1647 · writer
  • Sir William Hooker
    Sir William Hooker 1612–1697 · merchant
  • Ann Hooker d. 1751
  • Sarah Hooker d. 1725

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Hooker,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,299 records

1,299 records of the Hooker name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 544
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 243
  • Other U.S. records 512
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Willie S. Hooker

    Born 1924 in Tennessee. Enlisted 1944 at Fort Benning, Georgia; farm hand from Shelby County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1987, buried at Memphis National Cemetery, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Agnes Hooker

    Arrived at New York in 1883 aboard the Switzerland from Antwerp, aged 11; farmer. From Germany; bound for Philadelphia.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Sandy Lee Hooker

    Born 1947; from Chicago, Illinois. U.S. Army, infantryman; died in an accident 1968 in Binh Long, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,299 records for Hooker in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia461 records

461 records of the Hooker name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 238
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 68
  • Other Australian records 155
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Constance Mary Hooker

    Born 1908 in Cullenswood, Tasmania. Died 1927 in Tasmania, aged 18.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Walter Hooker

    Died 1936 in Tasmania, aged 66. Will registered in Tasmania in 1936.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Edward Hooker

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the General Stuart, arriving 1818; ticket of exemption 1829.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 461 records for Hooker in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

New Zealand39 records

39 records of the Hooker name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 33
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 5
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Frederick Hooker

    Died 1980, aged 77; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Elizabeth Hooker

    Buried in 1942 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 65.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record K. Hooker

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 39 records for Hooker in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

United Kingdom24 records

24 records of the Hooker name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 21
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Hooker

    Buried in 1835 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 29.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Hooker

    Bedfordshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Samuel Bales Hooker

    Buried in 1849 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 77.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 24 records for Hooker in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Canada23 records

23 records of the Hooker name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 9
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 3
  • Other Canadian records 11
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thomas Hooker

    Came to Ontario in 1874 aboard the Scan, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Diana Lynn Hooker

    Buried in 1990 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 42.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Frances Jemina Hooker

    Died 1972; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.

Showing 3 of 23 records for Hooker in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Netherlands4 records

4 records of the Hooker name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 3
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Theodorus Jurriaan Hooker

    In the population register of Amsterdam; born 1881 in Amsterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Amsterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Beikke Siegers Hooker

    In the population register of Achtkarspelen; born 1828.

    Open Archives, AlleFriezen (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Hooker in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Germany3 records

3 records of the Hooker name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Jakob Hooker

    From Mannheim. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 29 October 1915 (Leib Grenadier Regiment No. 109).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Hooker

    From Neulußheim, Schwetzingen. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 8 November 1915 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 250).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Hooker in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

France2 records

2 records of the Hooker name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record David Hooker

    Born 1941 in the United Kingdom; died 1993 in Antibes (Alpes-Maritimes).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Paul Leon Louis Hooker

    Born 1930 in Saint-Ouen (Seine-Saint-Denis); died 1994 in Beaufour-Druval (Calvados).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Hooker.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Hooker is.
A volume says what happened to it.

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