Hancox Family History & Genealogy

Summary

The surname "Hancox" - which includes numerous variations through history such as Hancocks, Hancock, Handcock, etc - seems to have originated in central Europe, namely England. Its meaning and actual creation are unknown, given that the name itself carries uncertain meaning. If you have more information to share about the Hancox family, please add it to this page.

History

Recorded in several forms including Hancock, Handcock, Hancocks and Hancox, it originates from the personal name Johannes, an early form of John, and from the Hebrew "Yochanan" meaning "Jehovah has favored me with a son". To this was added the suffix "c***" or "cox". "c***" was used for many centuries to describe a lusty youth.
There is also speculation that the name's origins are a bit more tame; some say the earliest origins of the name Hancox date back to the time of the Anglo-Saxons and the name is derived from from the baptismal name for the "son of John," which was originally derived from the diminutive form "Hann", a popular English name derived from the Flemish "Hann", when translated means John. The suffix "c***" was added to the surname to indicate familiarity.
In this case, early examples of the surname recording taken from surviving charters of the Middle Ages include Hanecock Birunc, in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273. The surname is first recorded in the latter half of the 13th century (see below) and John Hancokes appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire in 1376 and Warynus Hancok is registered in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379. Other later examples taken from surviving church registers include the marriage of Ralph Hancox and Elizabeth Smith on February 5th 1590 at St. Giles Cripplegate, in the city of London, and William Hancox, the son of Mathew Hancox who was christened at St. Brides Fleet Street, on June 15th 1589. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Hancoc. This was dated 1274, in the Hundred Rolls of Shropshire, during the reign of King Edward 1st of England, 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
There is a reasonable assumption that everyone with the last name of "Hancox" in any listed or imagined variation - including the President of the Second Continental Congress in the United States of America, John Hancock - are related because the origin of the name goes back so far. While believable, and certainly possible, the likelihood of a direct and easily proven lineage between any two members is questionable; if anything, the relation is likely quite distant by this time. The surname "Hancox" - which includes numerous variations through history such as Hancocks, Hancock, Handcock, etc - seems to have originated in central Europe, namely England. Its meaning and actual creation are unknown, given that the name itself carries uncertain meaning. If you have more information to share about the Hancox family, please add it to this page.

Name Origin

The earliest origins of the name Hancox date back to the time of the Anglo-Saxons. The name is derived from from the baptismal name for the "son of John," which was originally derived from the diminutive form "Hann", a popular English name derived from the Flemish "Hann", when translated means John. The suffix "c***" was perhaps added to the surname to indicate familiarity.

Spellings & Pronunciations

Hancox, Hancock, Hancocks, Handcock, Handcocks, Hankock, Hankoch, Handkock, Hancoc, Handcoc, Handchoche, Hancoche, and numerous other variations.

Nationality & Ethnicity

The name "Hancox" and its numerous incarnations are of English origin. Although the exact location is questionable, the Yorkshire area of England has thus far provided the earliest traceable record of the name to 1273. Currently, the name "Hancox" and its variations are found worldwide. It was originally English, and predominantly a Caucasion name. That has, of course, changed since its origins.

Famous People named Hancox

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Early Hancoxes

These are the earliest records we have of the Hancox family.