Booker
What is the origin of the last name Booker?
Meaning and origin
The last name Booker originated from England and is of occupational origin. It derived from the Middle English word "bocere," meaning a scribe or a person who kept records or accounts. The name evolved from the Old English word "bocere," derived from "boc," meaning "book." The surname Booker was initially given to individuals who were responsible for writing or maintaining books, documents, or records, often employed by monastic establishments, nobility, or courts. Over time, it became an hereditary surname passed down through generations, making it a prevalent and recognizable last name today.
The longer story
The last name Booker has a long history and interesting etymology. Here are the facts:
2. It is derived from the occupational name "boker" or "bocher," which means "butcher" in Middle English.
3. The first recorded instance of the name Booker dates back to the 13th century in Buckinghamshire, England.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#941
Booker was the 941st most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 36,840 people, about 12 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Booker
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Booker is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.