Show ContentsAcock History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Acock comes from when the family resided in the county of Berkshire in an area that was referred to as the Heycock. This surname was originally derived from the Old English word Hay-cock which denoted someone who lived at the sign of the hedgecock.

Early Origins of the Acock family

The surname Acock was first found in Berkshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Acock family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Acock research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Acock History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Acock Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Acock include Heycock, Haycock, Heycocke, Haycocke and others.

Early Notables of the Acock family

More information is included under the topic Early Acock Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Acock migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Acock Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Acock, who landed in North Carolina in 1744 [1]

Australia Acock migration to Australia +

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

Acock Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mary Acock, aged 30, a housemaid, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Warren Hastings"

Contemporary Notables of the name Acock (post 1700) +

  • Robert E. Acock, American politician, Delegate to Missouri State Constitutional Convention 23rd District, 1845-46 [2]


  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. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, August 16) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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