Hancock (surname): Difference between revisions

Hancock is an English surname. It is derived from a given name, a variant of John (Johan) combined with the hypocoristic suffix -cok which came into fashion in the 13th century, from cok “cock”, applied to “a young lad who strutted proudly like a cock”.^[1] As a given name, Hanecok is recorded in the 13th century in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire. The Dictionary of American Family Names mentions an alternative Dutch etymology, from hanecoc “periwinkle“.^[2]

An Irish variation is Handcock, as borne by William Handcock, 1st Viscount Castlemaine.

• Allan Hancock (1875–1965), heir to Rancho La Brea, developer of Hancock Park, Los Angeles
• Clarence E. Hancock (1885–1948), politician of New York, namesake of the Syracuse Hancock International Airport
• Cornelia Hancock (1839–1926), nurse during the American Civil War
• Emerson Hancock (born 1999), baseball player
• George Allan Hancock (1875–1965), Californian oil magnate
• Greg Hancock (born 1970), motorcycle speedway rider
• H. Irving Hancock (Harrie Irving Hancock) (1868–1922), writer, mainly for children
• Hank Hancock (1936-2024), politician
• Harris Hancock (1867–1944), mathematician
• Henry Hancock (1822–1883), landowner in Southern California, owner of Rancho La Brea
• Herbie Hancock (born 1940), jazz musician
• James Hughes Hancock (1931–2020), Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
• John Hancock (1737–1793), American Revolutionary; signatory to the United States Declaration of Independence
• Jordan Hancock (born 2003), American football player
• Josh Hancock (1978–2007), pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
• Keith Hancock (musician) (born 1980), music educator, Grammy award winner
• Levi W. Hancock (1803–1882), pioneer of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
• Luke Hancock (born 1990), basketball player
• Mary Louise Hancock (1920–2017), New Hampshire politician and activist
• Mel Hancock (1929–2011), U.S. Congressman from Missouri, best known for Missouri’s Hancock Amendment
• Michael Hancock (Colorado politician) (born 1969), Mayor of Denver, Colorado
• Phil Hancock (1953–2024), professional golfer
• Tom Hancock (1948–2016), U.S. politician from Iowa
• Tommy Hancock (1929–2020), musician
• Trenton Doyle Hancock (born 1974), artist
• Vincent Hancock (born 1989), Olympic shooter
• Winfield Scott Hancock (1824–1886), Union general during the American Civil War

• Albany Hancock (1806–1873), English naturalist, biologist, and supporter of Charles Darwin
• Anthony Hancock (publisher) (1947–2012), British publisher of right-wing material
• Frank Hancock (1859–1943), Wales international rugby captain
• Froude Hancock (1865–1933), English international rugby union player
• Graham Hancock (born 1950), non-fiction author and journalist
• Jake Hancock (1928–2004), geologist specialising in the Cretaceous period
• John Hancock (ornithologist) (1808–1890), British naturalist, ornithologist, taxidermist and landscape architect
• John Hancock (British politician) (1857–1940), British Liberal Party politician
• John Hancock (venereologist) (1923–1974), British venereologist and editor
• Ken Hancock (1937–2025), English footballer
• Martin Hancock (born 1970), actor
• Matthew (Matt) Hancock (born 1978), Conservative Party politician
• Nick Hancock (born 1962), actor and television presenter
• Sir Patrick Hancock (1914–1980), diplomat, ambassador to Israel, Norway, and Italy
• Prentis Hancock (1942–2025), British actor
• Ralph Hancock (cricketer) (1887–1914), English cricketer
• Ralph Hancock (landscape gardener) (1893–1950), Welsh garden designer
• Ray Hancock (1925–2007), English footballer, brother of Ken
• Robert Hancock (engraver) (1730–1817), British engraver and draughtsman
• Sam Hancock (born 1980), racing car driver
• Sheila Hancock (born 1933), actress and comedian
• Stephen Hancock (1925–2015), actor
• Thomas Hancock (inventor) (1786–1865), inventor
• Tony Hancock (1924–1968), comedian on Hancock’s Half Hour radio and television series
• Tysoe Saul Hancock (1723–1775), English East India Company surgeon
• William Hancock (ophthalmologist) (1873–1910), English ophthalmologist and sportsman
• William John Hancock (1864–1931), telephone and X-ray pioneer in Western Australia