POCOCK
Pocock is an English surname with a history that extends back to the early medieval period in the British Isles. The name is rooted in the Christian and English linguistic traditions that dominated the society of that era.
The modern surname Pocock is derived from the medieval given name Pocock, a diminutive form of the nickname Pock that described a person who had pockmarks on the face. The term ultimately originates from the Old English word poc, meaning a pustule or pock. Consequently, bearers of the surname were likely identified in their communities by this characteristic of the appearance that the nickname had once highlighted.
In an alternative line of derivation, the name Pocock can be traced to Anglo‑Saxon origins. The early medieval English term pecoc or pecok, itself derived from the pre‑7th century Olde English peacocc meaning peacock, was adopted as a nickname for individuals associated with bright colours or vanity. This construction of the surname is first documented in the latter half of the twelfth century, with an early example appearing as Pocok in the 1194 Pipe Rolls of Cornwall during the reign of King Richard I.
The earliest surviving records in England include the entry for Pecoc in the 1086 Domesday Book of Essex, and a reference to Pecoc de Briminton in the 1285 Assize Court Rolls of Cheshire. Subsequent attestations are found in the 1225 Assize Court Rolls of Somerset for a Richard Pocok, and the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Essex for a Robert Pecok. Church registers in London record the christening of Jane Peacock on 17 January 1548 at St. Lawrence Jewry and St. Mary Magdalene, Milk Street, as well as the marriage of Catryn Peacock and John Wardall on 22 July 1565 at St. Michael Bassishaw.
In the early modern period, individuals bearing the surname crossed the Atlantic. On 3 April 1635, a William Peacock set sail from the port of London aboard the ship Hopewell en route to New England, marking an early instance of the name in the American colonies.
Among the more prominent bearers of the name is the novelist Thomas Love Peacock (1785–1866), who is known for works such as Headlong Hall (1816) and Nightmare Abbey (1818). The family's presence in literature and public life exemplifies the enduring presence of the surname in English society.
Typical given names associated with the Pocock surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Jane
- Julie
- Karen
- Linda
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Rosemary
- Samantha
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Pocock in...
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There are approximately 4,604 people named Pocock in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,040th most common surname in Britain. Around 71 in a million people in Britain are named Pocock.
Surname type: Diminutive
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Pocock
- Maggie Aderin-Pocock - Nigerian-British space scientist
- Andrew Pocock - Diplomat
- David Francis Pocock - Anthropologist (1928 to 2007)
- George Yeoman Pocock - Designer and builder of racing shells (1891 to 1976)
- George Pocock - Royal Navy admiral (1706 to 1792)
- Tom Pocock - Writer (1925 to 2007)
- Pat Pocock - Welsh born, English Test and County cricketer
- Bill Pocock - Football player (1884 to 1959)
- Isaac Pocock - Dramatist and painter (1782 to 1835)
- William Willmer Pocock - Architect (1813 to 1899)
- Edward Innes Pocock - Scottish rugby union player (1855 to 1905)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.