The Hancock surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 50,558 people carried this name — #681 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 5,830 people counted. That is up 2% from 49,330 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Hancock surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From Hann + cock (a medieval diminutive suffix).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Hancock» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley explains it as ‘the son of John’.

An early record he cites: Warynus Hancok, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Hancock, Handcock and Hancocks.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 354 · public domain.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

39 people named Hancock live in Switzerland.

They live in 7 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 13
Geneva 8
Aargau 5
Lucerne 4
Bern 3
Neuchâtel 3
Vaud 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 21 people named Hancock.

Most of them — 21 — were born outside France.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 21

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

63 people named Hancock are counted in Sweden and Finland.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 42
Finland (2026) 21

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Hancock was found among the farmers of 9 counties.

It was most frequent in Derbyshire: 30 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 333. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Derbyshire 30
Devon 22
Cornwall 20
Gloucestershire 18
Worcestershire 18
Staffordshire 16
Somerset 15
Wiltshire 13

And 1 more county.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Hancock was recorded 21 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1107th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 22. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

156 families named Hancock, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 848 people lived in those households, 5.4 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 5 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Virginia 33
North Carolina 30
Massachusetts 28
Maryland 18
Connecticut 14
South Carolina 10
Pennsylvania 7
Maine 6
New Hampshire 5
New York 4
Vermont 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 243 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Hancock in American newspapers,
1897–1906.

Newspaper page from The Columbia Herald carrying the name Hancock
The Columbia Herald 1906-11-30
Newspaper page from The News & Observer carrying the name Hancock
The News & Observer 1898-02-23
Newspaper page from The Semi-weekly Messenger carrying the name Hancock
The Semi-weekly Messenger 1897-03-04

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,095 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Hancock in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2010s.

125,519 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Hancock. The most, 21,219, date from the 1890s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 1.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 36,335
New South Wales 29,721
South Australia 25,363
Queensland 14,843
Western Australia 14,763
Tasmania 3,022
ACT (Canberra) 1,245
Northern Territory 85

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Hancock.

Who carried it

People named Hancock,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Nathaniel Hancock
    Nathaniel Hancock d. 1833 · painter
  • Mildred Laura Hancock d. 1935 · painter
  • William M. Hancock d. 1891 · politician
  • Wally Hancock d. 1965 · rugby league player
  • Daphne Hancock d. 1985
  • Gillian Hancock d. 1973

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Hancock,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States3,912 records

3,912 records of the Hancock name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,840
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 622
  • Other U.S. records 1,450
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Gerald Quinn Hancock

    Born 1941; from Louisville, Kentucky. U.S. Army, indirect fire infantryman; killed in action 1969 in Kontum, South Vietnam. Buried at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Kentucky.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Leota L. Hancock

    Born 1901 in Iowa. Enlisted 1942 in the Women's Army Corps at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; salesperson. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1997, buried at Friends Cemetery, Richland, Iowa.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Martha Hancock

    Arrived at New York in 1884 aboard the City of Chester from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 18; servant. From Louth, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 3,912 records for Hancock in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia2,720 records

2,720 records of the Hancock name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,341
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 520
  • Other Australian records 859
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Hannah Hancock

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Royal Admiral, sailing from London in 1842. Native of Newcastle. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1843.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Sarah Hancock

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Cadet, sailing from London in 1847. Native of Winscombe, Somerset. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1849. Married 1849 in New Norfolk, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Rosetta Hancock

    Died 1919 in East¿devonport, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1920.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 2,720 records for Hancock in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada254 records

254 records of the Hancock name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 150
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 34
  • Other Canadian records 70
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Robert Bray Hancock

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the Clinton, bound for Annapolis and St Johns, aged 6.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Henry Hancock

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Pomona, landing at Quebec, bound for Barrie, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Herbert James Hancock

    Died 1970, aged 87; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 254 records for Hancock in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Netherlands157 records

157 records of the Hancock name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 85
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 68
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 4
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Abraham Hancock

    Married in 1850 in Bergen op Zoom. Died 1869 in Rotterdam, aged 44.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Francina Geertruida Cornelia Hancock

    Born 1884 in Breda. Died 1970 in Tilburg.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Maria Adriana Hancock

    Born 1891 in Breda. Married in 1917 in Breda. Died 1972 in Utrecht, aged 81.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 157 records for Hancock in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom102 records

102 records of the Hancock name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 91
  • Welsh wills index cards 6
  • Other British records 5
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Hancock

    Will proved in 1933; of Milford Haven.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Eliza Hancock

    Buried in 1818 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 20.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record R. Hancock

    King's Royal Rifle Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 102 records for Hancock in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand99 records

99 records of the Hancock name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 76
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 15
  • Other New Zealand records 8
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Raymond Hancock

    Died 1944, aged 26; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Christina Hancock

    Died 1886, aged 18; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Darren John Hancock

    Died 1987, aged 21; buried at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 99 records for Hancock in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France5 records

5 records of the Hancock name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Ruth Hancock

    Born 1926 in Great Britain; died 1997 in Fréjus (Var).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record William Walter Hancock

    Born 1933 in the United Kingdom; died 1991 in Dieulivol (Gironde).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Hancock in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Hancock.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Hancock is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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