Shockley

Shockley is a surname of English origin, believed to have originated from the Old English personal name "Scocca" combined with the suffix "-ley" denoting a clearing or meadow. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a clearing surrounded by woods.

The Shockley surname has been recorded in various parts of England over the centuries, indicating that different families bearing the name may have originated in different regions. Variations of the surname include Shokley and Shochley.

One notable individual with the surname Shockley was William Shockley (1910-1989), an American physicist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1956 for his co-invention of the transistor. While William Shockley himself was not of British descent, his surname serves as a prominent example of the global reach of this English surname.

Today, individuals with the surname Shockley can be found not only in the United Kingdom but also in other English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The surname may have different variations and spellings due to historical factors such as migrations and phonetic changes over time.

There are approximately 47 people named Shockley in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around one in a million people in Britain are named Shockley.

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Typical given names associated with the surname

Male

  • James

Female

  • Eileen

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

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