Hancock (surname)

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". 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".

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

People from Australia

 * 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

 * Robert E. W. Hancock (born 1949), microbiologist

People from the United Kingdom

 * 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

 * 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

 * 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