Cokayne, George E. (George Edward), 1825-1911

George Edward Cokayne was born on April 29, 1825, in London, England. He was originally named George Edward Adams, the son of William Adams and Hon. Mary Anne Cokayne, who was the daughter of Viscount Cullen. On August 15, 1873, he changed his surname to Cokayne through a Royal Licence.

Cokayne was an English genealogist and served as a herald at the College of Arms in London, eventually becoming the Clarenceux King of Arms. He graduated from Exeter College, Oxford, earning a B.A. in 1848 and an M.A. in 1852. He was admitted to Lincoln's Inn on January 16, 1850, and was called to the bar on April 30, 1853. He began his heraldic career at the College of Arms in London, starting as the Rouge Dragon Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary in 1859 and was later promoted to the office of Lancaster Herald of Arms in Ordinary in 1870. In 1882, he was promoted to Norroy King of Arms and then became the Clarenceux King of Arms in 1894, a position he held until his death in 1911. Cokayne is known for writing the reference works "The Complete Peerage" (1887) and "The Complete Baronetage" (1900).

In 1856, he married Mary Dorothea Gibbs. He died on August 6, 1911, in London, England.