Show ContentsWoolcock History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Woolcock surname is a habitational name derived from the place name Woolcot in Somerset, which in turn is thought to come from the Middle English words "wolle," meaning "spring," and "cot" meaning a cottage or shelter.

Early Origins of the Woolcock family

The surname Woolcock was first found in Devon where they held a family seat from very ancient times, before and after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Early History of the Woolcock family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Woolcock research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1679, 1751, 1754 and 1767 are included under the topic Early Woolcock History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Woolcock Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Woolcott, Woolacott, Wolcott, Wolcotte, Woolcotte and others.

Early Notables of the Woolcock family

Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Woolcock Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Woolcock migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Woolcock Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mary Woolcock, who landed in Maryland in 1664 1
Woolcock Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Samuel T Woolcock, aged 21, who arrived in New York in 1812 1
  • Thomas Woolcock, aged 24, who landed in New York in 1812 1
  • Mr. J. Woolcock, (b. 1819), aged 29, Cornish miner departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Mountaineer" arriving in the United States on 29th May 1848 2
  • Mr. S. Woolcock, (b. 1816), aged 32, Cornish miner departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Mountaineer" arriving in the United States on 29th May 1848 2
  • Mr. H. Woolcock, (b. 1816), aged 32, Cornish miner departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Mountaineer" arriving in the United States on 29th May 1848 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Woolcock migration to Australia +

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

Woolcock Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Ms. Elizabeth Woolcock, (b. 1816), aged 19, Cornish settler convicted in Cornwall, UK on 30th June 1835, sentenced for 7 years for stealing an apron and cotton shift from Walter Treleaven, transported aboard the ship "Henry Wellesley" on 23rd September 1835 to New South Wales, Australia 3
  • Mr. William Woolcock, (b. 1804), aged 35, Cornish labourer travelling aboard the ship "Roxburgh Castle" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 26th May 1839 4
  • Mrs. Caroline Woolcock, (b. 1796), aged 43, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Roxburgh Castle" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 26th May 1839 4
  • Mr. Richard Woolcock, (b. 1830), aged 9, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Roxburgh Castle" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 26th May 1839 4
  • Mr. William Woolcock, (b. 1831), aged 8, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Roxburgh Castle" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 26th May 1839 4
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Woolcock 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:

Woolcock Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Woolcock, (b. 1843), aged 19, British miner from Cornwall, travelling from London aboard the ship"Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 25th September 1862 5
  • Miss Sarah J. Woolcock, (b. 1848), aged 24, Cornish settler departing on 9th November 1872 aboard the ship "Durham" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 4th April 1873, died on board 6
  • Henry Woolcock, aged 25, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Durham" in 1873 7
  • Mr. Henry Woolcock, (b. 1847), aged 25, Cornish moulder departing on 9th November 1872 aboard the ship "Durham" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 4th April 1873 6
  • Miss Sophia Woolcock, (b. 1851), aged 23, Cornish servant departing on 29th August 1874 aboard the ship "Pleiades" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 16th December 1874 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Woolcock (post 1700) +

  • Iris Woolcock (d. 1980), American artist, photographer, realtor and adventuress
  • William James Uglow Woolcock (1878-1947), English politician, Member of Parliament for Hackney Central (1918-1922)
  • Waylon Woolcock (b. 1982), South African professional mountain biker
  • Tim Woolcock (b. 1952), British painter
  • Ann Woolcock (1937-2001), Australian respiratory scientist, one of the world's leading asthma experts, founding member and President of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology
  • Elizabeth Woolcock (1848-1873), Australian criminal who is the only woman ever executed in South Australia for the murder of her husband Thomas Woolcock by mercury poisoning; she may have been a victim of domestic violence and suffered from battered spouse syndrome
  • Penny Woolcock (b. 1950), Argentine-born, British filmmaker, opera director, and screenwriter
  • Charles Woolcock (b. 1891), New Zealand politician, Member of Parliament for Grey Valley (1876-1879)
  • James Gilbert Woolcock (1874-1957), Australian company director, metallurgist, mining consultant, mining engineer and public servant
  • John Laskey Woolcock (1862-1929), Australian barrister and Supreme Court judge


  1. 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)
  2. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
  3. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_convicts.pdf
  4. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, May 30). Ships' Passenger Lists of Arrivals in New South Wales on (1828 - 1842, 1848 - 1849) [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1838_on.pdf
  5. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  6. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Auckland 1872-80 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
  7. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 9th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  8. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf


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