The Wilcox surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 56,286 people carried this name — #602 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 5,240 people counted. That is up 2% from 54,987 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Wilcox surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From Wilcock + -s (“the patronymic suffix”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Wilcox» (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 William’.

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

His entry covers Wilcock, Wilcox and Wilcoxon.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 813 · public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

32 people named Wilcox is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 32

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).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Wilcox was found among the farmers of 8 counties.

It was most frequent in Somerset: 40 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 250. 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. His list gives one count for the spellings Wilcock and Wilcox.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Somerset 40
Gloucestershire 27
Cornwall 20
Devon 18
Monmouthshire 17
Lancashire 14
Nottinghamshire 12
Yorkshire, West Riding 10

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 the first U.S. census, 1790

386 families named Wilcox, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 2,342 people lived in those households, 6.1 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 6 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

Connecticut 146
Rhode Island 69
New York 65
Massachusetts 38
Vermont 21
Pennsylvania 13
North Carolina 10
New Hampshire 9
Maryland 9
Virginia 3
South Carolina 3

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. 268 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Wilcox in American newspapers,
1870–1916.

Newspaper page from New Orleans Republican carrying the name Wilcox
New Orleans Republican 1870-05-06
Newspaper page from Bogalusa Enterprise carrying the name Wilcox
Bogalusa Enterprise 1916-11-23
Newspaper page from New Orleans Republican carrying the name Wilcox
New Orleans Republican 1870-03-15

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 640,672 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Wilcox in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

44,035 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wilcox. The most, 7,425, date from the 1930s. New South Wales 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 the Australian Capital Territory, at 1.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 16,802
Queensland 8,074
South Australia 7,028
Victoria 6,650
Tasmania 2,359
Western Australia 2,191
ACT (Canberra) 848
Northern Territory 13

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

Who carried it

People named Wilcox,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William Wilcox d. 1880
  • Nancye Wilcox d. 1965
  • Edward Wilcox d. 1842
  • Thomas Wilcox 1549–1608 · cleric
  • Robert Wilcox 1558–1588
  • Margaret Wilcox 1597–1632

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Wilcox,
in the records of 8 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 States4,925 records

4,925 records of the Wilcox name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,883
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 909
  • Other U.S. records 2,133
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Charles Kirby Wilcox

    Born 1942; from Springfield, Missouri. U.S. Army, infantry unit commander; killed in action 1968 in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam. Buried at Springfield National Cemetery, Missouri.

    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 Alton D. Wilcox

    Born 1919 in Massachusetts. Enlisted 1941 at Fort Banks Boston; deckhand from Bristol County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1992, buried at Massachusetts National Cemetery, Massachusetts.

    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 Bessie Wilcox

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the Britannic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 17; servant. From Liverpool, England.

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

Showing 3 of 4,925 records for Wilcox in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). 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).

Australia1,246 records

1,246 records of the Wilcox name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 566
  • Tasmanian Names Index 326
  • Other Australian records 354
  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 John Wilcox

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the William Glen Anderson, sailing from London in 1831. Native of Fulham, Middlesex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1848.

    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 Henry Wilcox

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Duchess of Northumberland, sailing from Sheerness in 1842. Native of Birmingham, Warwickshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1846.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Elizabeth Wilcox

    Arrived in Victoria in 1856 aboard the Startled Fawn, aged 50; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,246 records for Wilcox 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) · 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada508 records

508 records of the Wilcox name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 415
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 36
  • Other Canadian records 57
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Wilcox

    Came to Ontario in 1873 aboard the Scan, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Nicholas Wilcox

    Killed in 1925 at the Dominion No. 12 mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Margaret Wilcox

    Buried in 1995 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 78.

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

Showing 3 of 508 records for Wilcox 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. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · 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. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom53 records

53 records of the Wilcox name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 41
  • Stirling Council burial records 6
  • Other British records 6
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Shaw Wilcox

    Died 1989, aged 80; buried at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Wilcox

    Buried in 1821 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 36.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Joseph Wilcox

    Will proved in 1941; of Haverfordwest.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 53 records for Wilcox in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand12 records

12 records of the Wilcox name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 7
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 3
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Mary Wilcox

    Buried in 1958 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 87.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Wilcox

    Died 1931, aged 78; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Henry George Wilcox

    Died 1979, aged 74; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Wilcox 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). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands8 records

8 records of the Wilcox name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 6
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Roland Wilcox

    Died 1944 in Zelhem; born 1924.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Hendrina Wilcox

    Married in 1786 in Rotterdam; born in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 8 records for Wilcox in the Netherlands.

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

France3 records

3 records of the Wilcox 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 Nicholas John Wilcox

    Born 1957 in Great Britain; died 2001 in Le Mans (Sarthe).

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

    Born 1947 in the United Kingdom; died 1991 in Saint-Gilles-Pligeaux (Côtes-d'Armor).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Wilcox 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).

Norway1 record

1 record of the Wilcox name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Charles Wilcox

    Census of 1910: Kongevilla nr.2 (gaard), Aker; "gårdsgut", born 1881 in England.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Wilcox.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Wilcox 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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