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.
People from Australia
edit- H. R. Hancock "Captain" Hancock (1836–1919) mine superintendent of Moonta, South Australia
- Keith Hancock (historian) (1898–1988), historian
- Lang Hancock (1909–1992), iron ore magnate
- Michael Hancock (rugby league) (born 1969), rugby league footballer
- Robert Hancock (footballer) (1922–1973), Australian rules footballer
People from Canada
edit- Mark Hancock, trade union activist
- Robert E. W. Hancock (born 1949), microbiologist
People from the United Kingdom
edit- 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 (1808–1890) was a naturalist, ornithologist, taxidermist and landscape architect.
- John Hancock, MBE (1939–2023), MBE, long time Sealy U.K. MD and past president of the NBF
- 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
- Ralph Hancock (cricketer) (1887–1914), English cricketer
- Ralph Hancock (landscape gardener) (1893–1950), Welsh garden designer
- 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
People from the United States
edit- 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 (born 1936), 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
- 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
- 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
Fictional characters
edit- Alexandra Hancock, or Aunt Alexandra, character in To Kill a Mockingbird
- Boa Hancock, character in the One Piece manga and anime series; in this instance, Hancock is a given name
- Emily Hancock, from Australian soap opera Neighbours
- Matt Hancock, from Australian soap opera Neighbours
- John Hancock, main character in the 2008 film Hancock
- John Hancock, character in the Fallout 4 video game
See also
edit- Anthony Hancock (disambiguation)
- Emily Hancock (disambiguation)
- George Hancock (disambiguation)
- John Hancock (disambiguation)
- Michael Hancock (disambiguation)
- Thomas Hancock (disambiguation)
- William Hancock (disambiguation)
- All pages with titles containing Hancock
- All pages with titles containing Handcock
- Hancox