The Rook surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,668 people carried this name — #7,165 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 63,300 people counted. That is down 2% from 4,766 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Rook surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the rook’.

An early record he cites: Geoffrey le Roke, Oxfordshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Rook and Rooke.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 653 · public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

36 people named Rook is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 36

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Rook was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Cumberland and Westmorland: 25 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 400. 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. His list gives one count for the spellings Rook and Rooke.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Cumberland and Westmorland 25
Yorkshire, North and East Ridings 12

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

29 families named Rook, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 146 people lived in those households, 5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 3 other spellings. 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 14
Maryland 5
Pennsylvania 3
Maine 2
New York 2
South Carolina 2
Massachusetts 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. 259 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Rook in American newspapers,
1904–1919.

Newspaper page from The Grenada Sentinel carrying the name Rook
The Grenada Sentinel 1904-05-21
Newspaper page from Martinsburg Herald carrying the name Rook
Martinsburg Herald 1907-08-17
Newspaper page from The Grenada Sentinel carrying the name Rook
The Grenada Sentinel 1919-02-28

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,822 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Rook in Australian newspapers,
1810s–1980s.

10,942 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Rook. The most, 3,034, 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 South Australia, at 2.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 3,740
South Australia 3,190
Victoria 1,869
Queensland 1,253
Tasmania 534
Western Australia 320
ACT (Canberra) 20
Northern Territory 6

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

Who carried it

People named Rook,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Thomas Rook
    Thomas Rook 1836–1897 · jockey
  • Max Emil Gustav Rook 1888–1946 · bricklayer
  • Max Emil Gustav Rook 1888–1946 · bricklayer
  • Arthur Rook 1918–1991 · author
  • Arthur Rook 1918–1991 · author
  • Ray Rook 1924–2023 · auto mechanic

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 Rook,
in the records of 9 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 States550 records

550 records of the Rook name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 157
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 143
  • Other U.S. records 250
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Joseph S. Rook

    Born 1917 in Pennsylvania. Enlisted 1943 at Harrisburg; farmer. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at Cumberland Valley Memorial Gardens, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Harold R. Rook

    Born 1922 in Missouri. Enlisted 1942 at Jefferson Barracks; office clerk. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1972, buried at Springfield National Cemetery, Missouri.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Grosser Kurfurst from Bremen, aged 42; journalist. From London, England; bound for St. Louis.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 550 records for Rook in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · 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, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). 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).

Netherlands6,375 records

6,375 records of the Rook name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 3,678
  • Dutch population registers 2,584
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 113
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Peter Rook

    Married in 1821 in Vollenhove; farmhand. Died 1866 in Barsbeek (Vollenhove), aged 70; farmer.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Nicolaas Rook

    Married in 1923 in 's-Gravenhage; tailor. Died 1971 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 75.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jochem Rook

    Married in 1864 in Emmen; labourer, born 1838 in Vollenhove. Died 1884 in Amsterdamscheveld (Emmen), aged 46; labourer.

    Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6,375 records for Rook in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Australia255 records

255 records of the Rook name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 127
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 62
  • Other Australian records 66
  1. 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 John Rook

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lord Lyndoch, sailing from London in 1836. Native of Doddington, Cambridgeshire.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 John Rook

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Albion, arriving 1828; ticket of leave 1840.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record George Rook

    Arrived in Victoria in 1854 aboard the Ballarat, aged 40; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 255 records for Rook in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Germany98 records

98 records of the Rook 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 Willy Rook

    Born 1899; from Charlottenburg. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 5 December 1918 (Infantry Regiment No. 410).

    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 Erwin Rook

    From Marienbronn. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 2 May 1919 (Grenadier Regiment No. 7).

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

    From Kramsk, Schlochau. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 24 February 1917; then reported wounded in the list of 7 August 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 98 records for Rook 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).

United Kingdom18 records

18 records of the Rook name in the United Kingdom
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 14
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 3
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Hannah Rook

    Buried in 1817 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 68.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Beryamin William Langham Rook

    Will proved in 1930; of Swansea.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. J. Rook

    Welsh Regiment. 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 18 records for Rook in the United Kingdom.

Counts: MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Canada15 records

15 records of the Rook name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 5
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 3
  • Other Canadian records 7
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Rook

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Nestorian, landing at Quebec, bound for London, 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 Monica Lane Rook

    Buried in 1985 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 20.

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

Showing 2 of 15 records for Rook in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · 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).

France3 records

3 records of the Rook 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 Germaine Emilie Rook

    Born 1892 in Meaux (Seine-et-Marne); died 1993 in Chaumont-en-Vexin (Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Robert Emile Rook

    Born 1916 in Nantes (Loire-Atlantique); died 1986 in Bordeaux (Gironde).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Rook in France.

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).

Finland3 records

3 records of the Rook name in Finland
  • Finland's war dead, 1939–1945 2
  • Finland's war dead, 1914–1922 1
  1. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Aake Teodor Röök

    Born 1920 in Mäntyharju; general labourer. Died in 1941 during Finland's wars of 1939–1945; buried in Mäntyharju.

    Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Toivo Tapio Röök

    Born 1914 in Loppi. Died in 1944 during Finland's wars of 1939–1945; buried in Loppi.

    Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Rook in Finland.

Counts: Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0) · Kansallisarkisto, via Sotasurmasampo (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

New Zealand1 record

1 record of the Rook name in New Zealand War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record P. Rook

    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)

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Rook.

When the index is not enough

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

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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