This interesting unusual name is of medieval English origin is so called from Cooksey Green in Upton Warren, Worcestershire, which appears as "Cochesei", in the Domesday Book and "Cokeseya" in the Fees of 1212. The derivation is from the Old English pre 7th personal name "Cucu", perhaps a byname from "Cwicu", meaning lively with "eg", island. During the Middle Ages when it was becoming increasingly popular for people to migrate from their birthplace to seek work elsewhere, they would often adopt the placename as a means of identification, thus resulting in a wide dispersal of the name. William Cooksey is listed as living at "Colledg land", Virginia, in February 1623 and Elizabeth Cooksey married Marke Nicoles on November 27th 1599 at Halesowen. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ann Cooksey (marriage to Hughe Sandes), which was dated November 11th 1571, Halesowen, Worcestershire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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