Dockree One-Name Study

Dockree
One-Name Study

Topics

About the Dockree One-Name Study
Variants
Origin of the surname
Historical occurrences
Frequency of the name
Distribution of the name
Data
Contact Details

About the Dockree One-Name Study

I took over the Dockree One-Name study from my late brother soon after his sudden death in the year 2000, Dockree having been our mother's maiden name. My brother gathered a vast amount of information over about 40 or 50 years in the form of handwritten family trees and supporting material including copy certificates, parish records, Wills, photographs and memories of family members.

The earliest record was that of the marriage of William Dockere and Elizabeth Hawtree in 1755. I have found nothing earlier than this, but have entered all the records, where they can definitely be connected, on to a computer family tree programme and have added a good number of new names.

I dedicate this Web Page to the memory of my late brother, Raymond Cassidy.

Variants

Although I have found some variation in the spelling of the surname Dockree, sometimes within one family, I have not yet made a connection wih the name Docwra and variations, which is also registered with the Guild. It is believed there may be a connection.

Origin of the surname

My earliest Dockrees come from St Albans, Hertfordshire (1755 marriage). Dockree may well have derived from Docwra of Cumbrian origins. On the other hand, many present-day Dockrees have been handed down stories of a French connection. Nothing is certain as yet.

Historical occurrences

Mark Edwin Dockree (1834-1904) was an accomplished 'painter in oils' and his pictures are still being bought and sold. A recent oil painting sold for over 900 pounds sterling on eBay. He worked for the General Post Office at first and painting was a hobby. However, he exhibited at the Royal Academy and at the Royal Society of British Artists, in London, between 1857 and 1890. He painted landscapes, including views in Wales, Surrey, Sussex, Devon and Kent.

Two Dockrees died in France in the First World War, namely:

Pte George Dockree (1887-1917) was in the 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. He died aged 30, on 10th April 1917. He is recorded as the son of the late E Dockree of Tyttenhanger Green, St Albans, Hertfordshire, and the wife of Minnie Dockree, of St Albans. I have not yet been able to place George and his family on my family tree. His mother was an Elizabeth Dockree and unmarried, and did not name the father of George. I have traced 19 people who descend from Elizabeth.

Second Lieutenant Gilbert Arthur Dockree (1895-1916). He was in the 6th Battalion, London Regiment (City of London Rifles) and died on 15 September 1916 on the Somme. He was the son of Edwin and Dorothy Dockree of London. Gilbert is on my Tree No. 6 (blue) - see later sections for my colour-coded and numbered division of the family tree.

Frequency of the name

Dockree is a rare surname. On the 1901 Census there are only 114 with this name.

Distribution of the name

In the 18th and 19th centuries, most Dockrees were found in Hertfordshire and London. In the 20th century, there are still a few here, but they have spread out across this country and some known to me are living in the US and South Africa.

Data

I have a good collection of copy certificates (births, marriages and deaths) in the Dockree name. Also,

various parish records, copy Wills and details of Dockrees on various census returns.

Various lists have been compiled by me:

Main List: all those born with the surname Dockree, chronologically from 1755 to date.

First name list, in alphabetical order of Christian name (of those born with the surname Dockree) of those placed on the main family tree, totalling 513 persons.

Family trees:

The main family tree is headed by William Dockere and Elizabeth Hawtree, married in 1755. They had 10 children, only two of whom have issue that I know of: (1) William Dockree born 1764, my direct ancestor, and (2) Thomas Dockree (1771-1815). Of the remaining 8 children, 3 certainly died young, and 3 were girls. The other two were: Joseph Dockree, born 1766 and John Dockree, born 1774. This main tree I have divided into 6 sub-trees, numbered and colour-coded. They are headed by:

Tree No. 3 (red)

William Dockree (1764-1817) - my direct ancestor. There are 114 people born Dockree on this sub-tree.

Tree No. 5 (yellow)

John Dockree (1796-1851), eldest son of Thomas Dockree born 1771, above. There are 106 people born Dockree on this sub-tree.

Tree No. 6 (blue)

Thomas Dockree (1805-1889), second son of Thomas Dockree born 1771, above. There are 66 people born Dockree on this sub-tree.

Tree No. 7 (orange)

James Dockree (1808-1894), third son of Thomas Dockree, born 1771. There are 13 people born Dockree on this tree.

Tree No. 8 (purple)

Shadrack Dockree (1810-1858), fourth son of Thomas Dockree, born 1771. There are 21 people born Dockree on this tree.

Tree No. 9 (green)

William Dockree (1811-1887), fifth son of Thomas Dockree, born 1771. There are 179 people born Dockree on this tree.

I also have a list of people born with the surname Dockree, whom I cannot place on the family tree.

Contact details

For further information, contact:

Mrs Maureen M Hunt
Bridge House East,
Sutton Bridge,
Spalding,
Lincolnshire
PE12 9YN
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail:

This page last updated 2 March 2008.