# Hancock (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/hancock/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname originating as a patronymic.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | not recorded |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 50,558 |
| US rank (2010) | 681 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 6,107 people |
| Change since 2000 | +2.5% (49,330 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhæŋkɒk/, 2 syllables |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

From Hann + cock (a medieval diminutive suffix).

## Who carries it

Share of people named Hancock in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 87% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 7.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.2% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 1.7% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Hancock in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

## People named Hancock

- Herbie Hancock, American jazz pianist and composer (born 1940)
- John Hancock, American Patriot and statesman during the American Revolution (1737–1793)
- Graham Hancock, British author who promotes pseudoscientific theories
- Vincent Hancock, American sport shooter
- Sheila Hancock, British actress
- John Lee Hancock, American film director, writer and producer (born 1956)
- Micha Hancock, American volleyball player
- G'Angelo Hancock, American Greco-Roman wrestler
- John Hancock, American actor (1941-1992)
- Josh Hancock, American baseball player (1978-2007)
- Prentis Hancock, British actor (1942–2025)
- Luke Hancock, American basketball player (born 1990)

and 6 more on Wikidata.

## Similar surnames

Hinojosa, Hunsaker, Hinojos, Hunsucker, Hunsicker, Hunziker.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.