Grocock

This interesting and unusual surname is of early medieval English origin, and is an example of the sizeable group of early European surnames that were gradually created from the habitual use of nicknames. The nicknames were given in the first instance with reference to occupation or a variety of features, such as physical attributes or peculiarities, mental and moral characteristics, including supposed resemblance to an animal's or bird's appearance or disposition, or to habits of dress. In this instance, the derivation is from the Middle English, Old French "grue", crane, a large long-necked long-legged wading bird, and the diminutive suffix "-cock", and the nickname would have been given to a tall, thin person. William Grucock was witness in the 1312 Assize Court Rolls of Staffordshire. In the modern idiom the surname can be found as Grewcock, Grocock, Grocott, Groocock, Groucock, Groucutt, Growcock, Growcott and Grocutt. Recordings of the surname from English Church Registers include: the marriage of William Grocot and Margret Chettyll on October 23rd 1562, at Claypole, Lincolnshire; the christening of Moyses, son of William and Bridgett Grocutt, at St. Botolph without Aldgate, London, on July 27th 1673; and the marriage of John Grocutt and Sarah Gutterridge at St. Philip's, Birmingham, Warwickshire, on August 6th 1820. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Margeria Groucok, which was dated 1275, in the "Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire", during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of The Scots", 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.