Locock

This unusual and interesting name is of early medieval English origin, and derived from a diminutive form of the male personal name "Love" or "Low" a development of the Old English pre 7th Century "Lufa" from "lufa", love. The given name from this source is recorded in Lancashire in 1246 as "Leucok", and in 1286 in Yorkshire as "Lockoc". The personal name generated a number of variant surnames, including the diminutive forms Lovekin and Lewcock, also found as Lowcock, Locock, Lucock, Luckock and Luckcock. The diminutive suffix "cock" derives from the Old English "cocc", used as a nickname from the bird, for a young man who strutted proudly like a cock; during the medieval period in England this was frequently attached to short forms of male given names, as a pet-name or to distinguished son from father. One William Locoke is recorded as a Freeman of the City of York in 1531, while in London the christening of John, son of John and Mary Locock, was recorded at St. John Zachary on January 1st 1701. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Peter Luuecok (witness), which was dated 1221, The Warwickshire Assize Rolls, during the reign of King Henry 111, "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. 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.