Meaning & History
Cuoco is an Italian occupational surname, the cognate of the English surname Cook. As such, it derives from the Latin coquus, meaning "cook," and would have been borne by someone who worked as a cook, a seller of cooked meats, or the keeper of an eating house.
The name is widely distributed throughout Italy, and its variants include Cuocco. In modern times, the name is known internationally largely thanks to several notable bearers in the entertainment and arts fields. Perhaps the most internationally recognized is Kaley Cuoco (born 1985), an American actress famous for her role as Penny on the television sitcom The Big Bang Theory. Other prominent American bearers include her sister, singer Briana Cuoco; Joyce Cuoco, a former ballerina; and fashion designer Candice Cuoco. In Brazil, the name has also achieved visibility through Francisco Cuoco (1933–2025), a well-known actor. The Italian Vincentzo Cuoco (1770–1823) was a noted historical writer and intellectual.
The Italian word cuoco is a straightforward continuation of the Latin occupational term, mirroring a pattern common across many European languages where the Latin coquus evolved into local designations for the same profession. Thus, while Cuoco is specifically Italian, it shares its origin and occupational meaning with numerous names across Europe, such as Dutch Kock and Kok, English Coke and Cokes, and Low German Kock. The Dutch variant De Kock is also a close counterpart meaning "the cook."
- Meaning: "cook" (occupational).
- Origin: Italian, from Latin coquus.
- Type: Surname.
- Variants: Cuocco.
- Usage Regions: Italy, also found in the Americas.
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Cuoco