Welcitch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Welcitch was spawned by the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture that ruled a majority of Britain. It comes from William or Wilhelm. Tracing the origin of the name further, we found the name Welcitch 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 Welcitch family

The surname Welcitch 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 Welcitch family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Welcitch 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 Welcitch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Welcitch Spelling Variations

Welcitch 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 Welcitch have been found, including Wilcox, Wilcocks, Willock, Wallock and others.

Early Notables of the Welcitch family

Distinguished members of the family include Nicolaus Wollick (c. 1480-1541), English music theorist Robert Willcox (1558-1588), was an English Catholic martyr (one of the Oaten Hill Martyrs) who was hung, drawn and quartered; he was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1929. 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, Loughborough in Leicestershire. 5 Thomas Wilcox (1549?-1608), was an English Puritan divine, born about 1549, and was 'fellow or scholar...
Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Welcitch Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Welcitch family to Ireland

Some of the Welcitch 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.

Migration of the Welcitch family

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 Welcitchs to arrive on North American shores: John Willcocks was a shoreman of St. John's, Newfoundland, who had settled there in 1754; John Wilcock settled in Brigus, Newfoundland, in 1801; John Wilcocks was Master of the ".

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)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print