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Willock History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Willock History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

Willock is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that is derived from William or Wilhelm. Tracing the origin of the name further, we found the name Willock was originally derived from the Germanic elements will, meaning resolve, helm, meaning protection, and cock or cox, an affectionate or diminutive suffix commonly used in ancient times. With the additional suffix, cox, the name was taken to mean the son of little William. 1

Early Origins of the Willock family

The surname Willock was first found in Lancashire where one of the first records of the name was listed simply as Wilcok with no personal name in the Assize Rolls of that shire in 1246. Wilcoc was listed in the Assize Rolls of Cheshire in 1286 and William Wylecok was listed in Somerset in the Assize Rolls of 1254. Quite of few of the family were found in Yorkshire as shown by John Wilcokes who was listed there in 1316. 2

By the time of the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, there were numerous entries for the name including those with the "son" extension: Richard Wilokson; Adam Wylkokson; Raddulfus Wycok; and Willelmus Wilkocson. 3

Further to the north in Scotland, entries for the family were later. "Adam Willicok was admitted burgess of Aberdeen in 1578, and Alexander Willicok in Fechill was bewitched in 1597. " 4

Early History of the Willock family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Willock research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1480, 1515, 1541, 1549, 1558, 1562, 1566, 1585, 1588, 1600, 1608, 1673, 1723, 1724, 1736, 1756, 1791 and 1929 are included under the topic Early Willock History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Willock Spelling Variations

Willock has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Willock have been found, including Wilcox, Wilcocks, Willock, Wallock and others.

Early Notables of the Willock family

Distinguished members of the family include

John Willock (or Willocks or Willox) (c. 1515-1585), was a Scottish reformer, a native of Ayrshire and was educated at the University of Glasgow. In 1562 he became rector of All Saints Church, Loughbo...

Migration of the Willock family to Ireland

Some of the Willock family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Willock migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Willocks to arrive on North American shores:

Willock Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Alexander Willock, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1799 5
James Willock, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1799 5
Noble Willock, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1799 5

Willock Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Willock, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 5

Willock 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:

Willock Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Rev. William W. Willock, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Randolph" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in September 1850 6
Mrs. Willcock Willock, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Randolph" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in September 1850 6
Mr. Willock, (b. 1849), aged 1, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Randolph" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in September 1850 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Willock (post 1700) +

Dave Willock (1909-1990), American character actor, known for his comedic work on CBS's Green Acres and with Cliff Arquette, together they had their own radio and television shows in the early 1950s
Andy Willock (b. 1964), former English football midfielder
Calum Daniel Willock (b. 1981), English -born Saint Kittitian and Nevisian international footballer
Sir Henry Willock (1790-1858), British lieutenant-colonel and the British Envoy to Persia (1815-1826), Chairman of the East India Company (1844-1845)
Air Vice-Marshal Robert Peel Willock (1893-1973), senior Royal Air Force officer who commanded British Air Forces in Iraq during World War II
Colin Willock (1919-2000), British magazine editor and a nature documentary writer and producer
Brad Scott Willock (b. 1962), former Olympic and CIAU All-Canadian volleyball player
Timothy Willock, British doctor and novelist
Sophie Willock Bryant (1850-1922), née Willock, an Irish mathematician, educator, feminist and activist from Sandymount, Dublin
John Willock Noble (1831-1912), American Republican politician, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, 1867-70; U.S. Secretary of the Interior, 1889-93 7

Historic Events for the Willock family +

Halifax Explosion

Mr. Albert E Willock, Canadian stained aboard the HMCS Niobe from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 8

HMS Repulse

Mr. Ritson Willock, British Telegraphist, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 9

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)
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)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html