Woodcook History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Woodcook family

The surname Woodcook was first found in Norfolk where William Wdecoch was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1175. One year later in 1176, the Pipe Rolls of Hertfordshire listed Roger Wudecoc and in 1200, the Feet of Fines for Essex noted William Widecoc as holding lands there at that time. 1

There are two theories as the the origin of the name. The first is that it was derived from the Anglo/Saxon name Wudu-coc and the more common second theory that the name was derived as a nickname from the bird 'woodcock' and "at one time a common term for a simpleton in many early plays. " 2

There are also two early entries for the family in Scotland: William Wodcok, Burgess of Glasgow, 1488 and Francis Wodcok who held land there in 1552. 3

Early History of the Woodcook family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Woodcook research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1603, 1643, 1646 and 1850 are included under the topic Early Woodcook History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Woodcook Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Woodcock, Woodcocke, Woodkooke, Woodcott, Wudcock and many more.

Early Notables of the Woodcook family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Martin Woodcock (1603-1646), alias John Farington, an English Franciscan martyr. "Born in 1603 at Clayton-le-Wood, Lancashire, he appears to have belonged to the Lancashire families of Farington or Woodcock, though it is not clear which was his real name, nor has his parentage been traced. Towards the end of 1643...
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Woodcook Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Woodcook family to Ireland

Some of the Woodcook family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Woodcook family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: John Woodcock settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1630; George Woodcock settled in Virginia in 1636; John Woodcock settled in Boston in 1635; Joshua Woodcock settled in Bermuda in 1635.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
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)