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The ancient Anglo-Saxon surname Whillcock came from William or Wilhelm. Tracing the origin of the name further, we found the name Whillcock 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
The surname Whillcock 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
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whillcock 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 Whillcock History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Whillcock has been recorded under many different variations, including Wilcox, Wilcocks, Willock, Wallock and others.
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 Whillcock Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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.
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Whillcock or a variant listed above: 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 ".