Show ContentsWolcoke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Wolcoke was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wolcoke family lived in Shropshire, at the village of Walcot. a parish, in the union of Bath, partly within the city of Bath, and partly in the hundred of Bath-Forum, E. division of Somerset. 1 There are three places named Walcott in Britain, specifically in Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Worcestershire.

Early Origins of the Wolcoke family

The surname Wolcoke was first found in Shropshire, at Walcot, a small village which dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 and literally means "cottage(s) of the Britons." 2 "The name is derived from Walcot in the parish of Lydbury, which was held under the Bishop of Hereford by Roger de Walcot in 1255. He was the ancestor of the present family." 3

Early History of the Wolcoke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wolcoke research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1255, 1402, 1586, 1625, 1629, 1631, 1650 and 1685 are included under the topic Early Wolcoke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wolcoke Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Walcot, Walcoke, Wallcott, Wallcot, Walcott and others.

Early Notables of the Wolcoke family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Roger Walcot of Lydbury; Humphrey Walcot (1586-1650); and his son, Sir Thomas Walcot SL (1629-1685), a British judge and politician. He was "the scion of an ancient Shropshire family, was the second son of Humphrey Walcot (1586-1650), who...
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wolcoke Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wolcoke family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Wolcoke or a variant listed above: Capt. Jonathon Walcott settled in Boston, Mass in 1645; his descendent was Arthur Stuart Walcott of New York; James Walcott settled in Pennsylvania in 1825.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.


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