Surname Wilcocks - Meaning and Origin

Wilcocks: What does the surname Wilcocks mean?

The surname Wilcocks refers to a line of English families, predominantly found in the Midlands and Wales. The name is derived from the Old English personal name 'Wiglic', composed of the elements 'wig', meaning 'war', and 'lic', meaning 'like'. This suggests that those of this surname were associated with war-like activities or warring circumstances during the pre-7th century Anglo-Saxon period.

The Wilcocks first appeared in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England in the late 12th century. For the next 200 years, the family could be found in various parts of the country as they followed their occupations of yeomanry and military service, and established themselves in the local gentry.

Throughout the generations, some members of the Wilcocks family went on to find success in the professions of farming and commerce, and were even rewarded with positions of honour and authority, such as mayors of cities and towns.

Today, the Wilcocks surname is still found in parts of the United Kingdom, particularly in England and Wales. The name continues to evoke a sense of a long, proud history of service and achievement, as well as a shared community of family members spread throughout the world.

Wilcocks: Where does the name Wilcocks come from?

The last name Wilcocks is mainly found in Britain and the United States today. According to Ancestry, Wilcocks is a widely dispersed surname in England. Its highest concentrations are found in Cheshire, Lancashire, Devon, Herefordshire, and Oxfordshire. In the United States, it is especially common in California, Texas, Florida, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania.

In Britain, Wilcocks is a topographic surname, which indicates a person living in a settlement near a stream or spring. Alternatively, the name may be derived from Willicock, which is a diminutive of the medieval name William. In the United States, it is likely of British origin and was brought over by the earliest settlers.

The earliest record of the Wilcocks family is John Wilcocks, who was born in Somerset, England in 1586. He is believed to be the ancestor of many Wilcocks living today. The family tree can be traced back several centuries, and descendants of John still reside in the United Kingdom today.

The surname Wilcocks has seen a steady increase in recent years. Today, the surname is most likely to be found in Central and Northern England, as well as in the Southern United States.

Variations of the surname Wilcocks

The surname Wilcocks is of English origin. It originated in the Middle Ages as 'Welcok', a personal name derived from the Old English 'wel', meaning 'boil', and 'cok', meaning 'cock', or even 'wild', and 'cok', meaning 'cook'. Hence, 'Welcok' meant 'boiling-cock'. Variants of this name include Wilcock, Wilcox, Wilcockson, and Wilcoxson.

The spelling of the surname has also changed over time. During the Medieval period, one could find spellings such as 'Willicok' and 'Willkok'. In the early 1500s the spelling changed to 'Wilcok' and 'Wilkok'. In the 1600s the spelling changed to 'Wilcock', which is the most common spelling today. Some other spellings of the surname include Wilcoque, Willcox, Wilcoxen, Wilcockson and Wilcoxson.

Variants of this surname appeared in the 1600s, some occurring due to the regional dialect of the area. In Scotland, the surname appeared as Welcombe, Willcome, Wilcomb and Wilcombe, while in Ireland it was generally written as Willcox, Wilox and Willox.

Additionally, surnames which sound similar to 'Wilcocks' may be of the same origin. Examples of this include Welcocks, Welches, Welchick, Wilcoch, Wilcoxen and Wilkox.

In conclusion, the surname Wilcocks is of English origin, with variants such as Wilcox, Wilcoxen and Wilcoxson, as well as regional dialect variants such as Welcombe and Wilcomb. Additionally, surnames which may sound similar to Wilcocks such as Welcocks, Welches, Welchick, Wilcoch, Wilcoxen and Wilkox are of the same origin.

Famous people with the name Wilcocks

• Michael Wilcocks: former British politician who was a Conservative Member of Parliament for Shropshire North.
• Robert Wilcocks– British Royal Navy officer and diplomat.
• Roger Wilcocks– Australian sportsman who competed in rowing and cycling.
• Nick Wilcocks– British cycling champion and member of the Great Britain Cycling Team.
• Peter Wilcocks: English football goalkeeper who played for Plymouth Argyle.
• Jeremy Wilcocks: former Welsh rugby union player.
• Ernest Wilcocks: English recipient of the Victoria Cross.
• Julie Wilcocks: British artist best known for her abstract paintings.
• Thomas Wilcocks: English politician who was a Tory Member of Parliament for Bury St Edmunds.
• Richard Wilcocks: English poet and playwright.
• Kenneth Wilcocks: English recipient of the Distinguished Flying Medal.
• Colin Wilcocks: British actor best known for his roles in the films The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Zulu.
• Joanne Wilcocks: English film and television producer who is best known for her work on Channel 4’s thriller Utopia.
• Sarah Wilcocks: British actress best known for her roles in the films The Descent and Dunkirk.
• Arthur Wilcocks: New Zealand surveyor and explorer.
• Mark Wilcocks: British writer who has written several books on heritage and history.

Other surnames

Wilcockson