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Meaning & History
Hooker is an English surname with topographic and occupational origins. Topographically, it derived from the Old English hoc meaning "angle, hook," and originally referred to someone who lived near a bend in a river or a corner of a natural feature. In an occupational sense, the name could also denote a maker of hooks, as suggested by the surname's presence in historical records as an occupational name.
The surname has several notable bearers and has spread widely, particularly to the United States, where it gave name to numerous places. Places named Hooker include unincorporated communities in California, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, and South Dakota, as well as townships in Nebraska, and a city in Oklahoma. A ghost town in Missouri also bears the name.
Related surnames in other languages include the Dutch Hoek and the Frisian Hoekstra, both of which are topographic names for someone who lived on a corner or bend. In Dutch, hoek means "corner" or "angle," sharing the same Old English root.
The surname has several notable bearers and has spread widely, particularly to the United States, where it gave name to numerous places. Places named Hooker include unincorporated communities in California, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, and South Dakota, as well as townships in Nebraska, and a city in Oklahoma. A ghost town in Missouri also bears the name.
Related surnames in other languages include the Dutch Hoek and the Frisian Hoekstra, both of which are topographic names for someone who lived on a corner or bend. In Dutch, hoek means "corner" or "angle," sharing the same Old English root.
- Meaning: dweller at a river bend or corner; maker of hooks
- Origin: English
- Type: Topographic/Occupational
- Usage: English
Related Names
Sources: Wiktionary — Hooker