Contents [hide]

Pook History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Pook History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

An ancient Strathclyde-Briton family from the Scottish/English Borderlands were the first to use the name Pook. They lived at Pollok (Gaelic: Pollag), a large district on the south-western side of the city of Glasgow, home to Crookston Castle, where Mary, Queen of Scots, was once held. The name of the town has Gaelic origins, from the word 'poll', meaning "pool" or "pit".

Early Origins of the Pook family

The surname Pook was first found in Renfrewshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rinn Friù), a historic county of Scotland, today encompassing the Council Areas of Renfrew, East Renfrewshire, and Iverclyde, in the Strathclyde region of southwestern Scotland, where the first occurrence of the name is Peter, son of Fulbert or Fulburt who was granted the lands of Upper Pollock by the High Steward, and who took the surname from the lands, making him the first Pollock. Peter gave the church of Pulloc and its pertinents to the monastery of Paisley, sometime between 1177 and 1199. Within that same period of time, he also confirmed the charter of his brother Helias of Perthic to the same house. Peter also possessed lands in Moray and circa 1175, he witnessed the charter by William the Lion granting Burgin to the Abbey of Kinlos. 1

Circa 1230, Murial de Polloc, a daughter of Peter, gifted her land of Inuerorkel and all its pertinents for the benefit of the hospital erected beside the bridge of Spey for the reception of travelers. Continuing this pattern of generosity, Robert de Pollok granted to the monastery of Paisley, during the reign of Alexander II, alms of twelve pennies a year from the rents he earned from his lands. Other important Pollocks include John Pollok who was both steward of the Abbey of Arbroath and sheriff of Forfar. 1

In England, Pook was a popular variant and in this case, the family was probably from Puckney Gill in the parish of Charlwood, County Surrey, so called from the Old English word "puca" (goblin) and "eg" (island). 2 The surname is first found in Sussex in 1332 as atte Pukenegh, and occurs also in County Surrey at about the same date. From the fourteenth to the seventeenth century the name was largely confined to a small central area of central Sussex, around West Grinstead. The name was also occasionally used as a nickname 'the puk' from the complexion of hair or dress, a colour between russet and black. 3

William Puch was documented in the year 1166, and appears to be the first of the name on record. William le Puk of County Somerset, was documented during the reign of Edward III (1327-1377) and John Pouk was recorded in County Somerset at the same time. 4

Early History of the Pook family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pook research. Another 220 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1234, 1272, 1590, 1603, 1660, 1827 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Pook History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pook Spelling Variations

Before the printing press standardized spelling in the last few hundred years, no general rules existed in the English language. Spelling variations in Scottish names from the Middle Ages are common even within a single document. Pook has been spelled Pollock, Pollocke, Polk, Polke, Pollok, Pollick, Polloch, Pook, Pooke, Poock, Pogue, Poag, Poage, Poague, Poak and many more.

Early Notables of the Pook family

More information is included under the topic Early Pook Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pook family to Ireland

Some of the Pook family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 96 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pook migration to the United States +

For Scottish immigrants, the great expense of travel to North America did not seem such a problem in those unstable times. Acres of land awaited them and many got the chance to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. These Scots and their ancestors went on to play important roles in the forging of the great nations of the United States and Canada. Among them:

Pook Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Ludwig Pook, who landed in Texas in 1844 aboard the ship "Johann Dethardt" 5

Pook migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Pook Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Pook, aged 30, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Sultana" 6

Pook migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Pook Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. James J. Pook, (b. 1852), aged 22, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Dorette" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th April 1874 7
Mrs. Lydia Pook, (b. 1848), aged 26, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Dorette" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th April 1874 7
William Pook, aged 28, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alumbagh" in 1875 7
Eliza Pook, aged 28, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alumbagh" in 1875 7
James Pook, aged 7, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alumbagh" in 1875 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Pook (post 1700) +

Samuel Hartt Pook (1827-1901), American naval architect of clipper ships
Samuel Moore Pook (1804-1878), American naval architect, creator of the "Pook Turtles", City class ironclads during the American Civil War
Tom Pook (1869-1948), Wales international rugby player
Robert Pook (b. 1967), English cricketer
Peter Pook (1918-1978), pseudonym of John Anthony Miller, British author of humorous novels
Michael Pook (b. 1986), English footballer
John Pook (b. 1942), Welsh poet
Jocelyn Pook (b. 1960), English composer and viola player
David Pook (b. 1955), English former professional footballer

Historic Events for the Pook family +

RMS Titanic

Mr. P. Pook (d. 1912), aged 34, English Assistant Pantry from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 8

The Pook Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Audacter et strenue
Motto Translation: Boldly and earnestly.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SULTANA 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/sultana1852.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html