Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cocknowle 1826 Gre

• Kokemille (probably for Kokenulle), Kokenhule Lake 14 Mansel

• Cocknowl 1811 OS

• Gt Cocknoll (Fd), Lt Cocknoll (Fd) 1844 TA

Etymology

Cocknowle (SY 933820), Cocknowle 1826 Gre, Kokemille (probably for Kokenulle ), Kokenhule Lake 14 Mansel, Cocknowl 1811 OS, Gt Cocknoll (Fd ), Lt Cocknoll (Fd )1844TA . The 14th-cent. forms are unreliable and no etymology can be safely proposed, but the OE  pers.n. *Cocca or a wk. ME  gen.pl. in -en (e ) of cocc 'woodcock' (v. -ena ) are possible for the first el., with either hyll 'hill' (suggested by the first 14th-cent. form) or hygel 'hillock' or hylu 'hollow' (both possible to explain the second 14th-cent. form), cf. the f.n. Cokenhull in W Knighton par. infra ; the modern name has been adjusted by analogy with Church Knowle and Bucknowle supra . Kokenhule Lake doubtless refers to the stream running S from Cocknowle into the Corfe River, v. lacu .