HANCOCKS - Origin of the Name

There are several possible origins for the surname Hancocks, Hancox and Hancock. It is most likely a diminutive (or shortening) of Hann(e), a common first name in thirteenth century Yorkshire and also a popular Flemish name. Hann(e) in turn is a pet name for John (or Johan) and, less commonly, Henry. Cock too was a once a common first name. It was also used as a descriptive noun meaning boy or one whom strutted like a cock. We still use the expression 'cocky' today to describe a conceited or overly forward personality. Hancocks therefore possible derives from Hann's boy i.e. son of John.

The earliest known record of the name is Thomas Hancoc who was living in Shropshire in 1274. Hanecok is recorded in Yorkshire two years later. In 1316 a John Hanecokes was in Yorkshire. By the early 1540's the Hancokes name was established in several counties, however the abundance of Hancocks' in Shropshire in 1851 in purely numerical terms and the relative, although not absolute, abundance of Hancocks in Hereford and Shropshire in 1881 is evidence for the origin of the name in the Welsh Marches.

Male Hancocks' - birthplaces of those alive in 1851 - Absolute Numbers

Male Hancocks' - birthplaces of those alive in 1881 - Absolute Numbers

Male Hancocks' - birthplaces of those alive in 1881 - per 100,000 of county population

Hancocks, Hancox and Hancock, along with Hancockes and Hancocke, was being recorded in at least one south Warwickshire parish, Tredington, from 1540. All the variations on the name probably relate to a single family in that location. There were also particular concentrations of early records of the name in nearby Pillerton Hersey, Honington and especially Brailes.

'Our' north Warwickshire Hancocks family are possibly, but not necessarily, related to their southern namesakes. In addition to the southern concentrations of the name there are three northern parishes, namely Allesey, Coventry and Brinklow, which have relatively numerous early occurrences. There is little doubt that Oliver Hancocks the forefather of 'our' family has his ancestry rooted with the northern Hancocks'.

The variation of the name in Tredington in the early and mid sixteenth century may indicate that 'our' family settled with their version of the name in the latter half of the sixteenth century.

As will be seen, only a limited number of first names were utilised by our Hancocks family, particularly amongst the male offspring. The first names Oliver and John occur in every generation between the early seventeenth and the mid nineteenth centuries.

The family has consistently spelled the surname "Hancocks" since at least the middle of the seventeenth century. It has occasionally been misrepresented and miss-spelled in nineteenth century trades directories as Hancock or Hancox respectively. Hancocks family members still commonly have to correct the same misrepresentation or spelling of their name. Due to this common and often annoying habit, at least one family bearing the Hancocks name dropped the 's' at the beginning of the twentieth century.

At the time of the 1881 census there were 437 Hancocks’ living in Great Britain, 96 (21%) of these were born in Warwickshire. This compares with approximately 650 Hancocks individuals today. Today Hancox number 2400, Hancock 12000, Handcock less than 200 and Handcocks less than 20. Even today the Hancocks name is concentrated in the north Warwickshire and Birmingham areas; the same areas as the family in question lived for at least 350 years.

Adult Hancocks’ in 2000

There are a few Hancocks’ established in other countries. There are a small number in the antipodes and South Africa, and few more in North America. Several of the Hancocks’ in Canada are members of the family under consideration here.

World Distribution of Adult Hancocks’ in 2000