Show ContentsPocox History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the name Pocox goes back those Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled over Britain. Such a name was given to a proud or gaudy person. The surname Pocox is derived from the various Old English words pecok, pacok, pocok, pehen, and pohen, which all mean peacock. 1

Early Origins of the Pocox family

The surname Pocox was first found in Essex where Pecoc was name of a Domesday tenant in Essex in 1086. 2 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 proved the widespread use of the name throughout ancient Britain: Geoffrey Pokoc, Cambridgeshire; Hugh Pokok, Oxfordshire; and Robert Pokoc, Lincolnshire. 1 In Somerset, Walter Pokok and Roger Pokok were listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 3

Early Cornish records show Roger Paucoc and Roger Paucoc, Pecoc in the Pipe Rolls of 1194. Richard Pocok was listed in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1225 and Simon Pacock was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1297. Robert Pecok (Paycock) was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Essex in 1327. 4

This name is "found in several parts of England, but its great home is in the North Riding [of Yorkshire], especially in the districts of Richmond and Northallerton. It was represented as Pocok, Pokoc, Pokok, and Pecock in the 13th century in Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Norfolk; in the last two counties it is still well established. Speaking generally, this name characterizes the eastern half of England." 5

In Scotland, the first entry of the family in interesting: "A gift of six pennies annually was made from the toft of Roger Pacok in Annan in thirteenth century." 6 This source goes on to note "Andreas Pacok was presbyter and notary public in the diocese of St. Andrews, 1311-1321, and the name appears frequently in the parish register of Dunfermline, 1561-1700, as Paycok (1564) and Paicok (1572). Thomas Pacok had grant of a third part of the land of Quhitfeilde in the barony of Lyntounrothrike in 1378, and another Thomas Pacok was elevated to chaplain in 1426. " 6

Early History of the Pocox family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pocox research. Another 237 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1510, 1512, 1536, 1585, 1591, 1596, 1598, 1601, 1604, 1631, 1652, 1673, 1682, 1691, 1706, 1707, 1714, 1718, 1724, 1725, 1733, 1738, 1754, 1755, 1756, 1757, 1792, 1843 and 1911 are included under the topic Early Pocox History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pocox Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Pocox family name include Pocock, Pococke and others.

Early Notables of the Pocox family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir George Pocock (1706-1792), British admiral, son of Thomas Pocock, chaplain in the navy, was born on the 6th of March 1706, and entered the navy under the protection of his maternal uncle, Captain Streynsham Master (1682-1724), in the " Superbe " in 1718. He became lieutenant in April 1725, commander in 1733, and post-captain in 1738. After serving in the West Indies he was sent to the East Indies in 1754 as captain of the " Cumberland" (58) with Rear-Admiral Charles...
Another 90 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pocox Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pocox family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name Pocox or a variant listed above: John Pocock, who arrived in New England in 1661; Richard Pocock, who settled in Barbados in 1679; Christopher Pocock, who arrived in Barbados in 1679.



The Pocox 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: Regi regnoque fidelis
Motto Translation: Faithful to king and kingdom.


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. 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.
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook