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The surname Hancock

A patronymic surname, carried by 50,558 people in the United States.

Pronounced /ˈhæŋkɒk/ 2 syllables Soundex H522

Hancock: #681 of 162,253 surnames in the 2010 US Census #1Smith#160,975Doriott#10Martinez#100Jimenez#10,001Dubon Hancock #681, 50,558 people Hancock: #681 of 162,253 surnames in the 2010 US Census #1Smith#160,975Doriott#100Jimenez Hancock #681, 50,558 people
Every surname held by 100 or more people in the 2010 US Census, most common on the left (162,253 in all). Hancock is more common than 99.6% of them.

Origin

From Hann + cock (a medieval diminutive suffix).

Hancock is a patronymic surname: formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name.

Origin from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

How common it is

2010 US Census

There were 50,558 people named Hancock in the United States in 2010, about 1 in every 6,107 Americans. That is up 2.5% since 2000, when the Census counted 49,330.

#681
rank among US surnames
50,558
people in 2010
17
per 100,000 Americans
+2.5%
change since 2000 (was #625)
RankSurnamePeople1 in
#672Shields50,8326,074
#673Rubio50,7886,079
#674Huffman50,7866,079
#676Boyer50,7426,085
#677Garrison50,6866,091
#678Arroyo50,6146,100
#679Bond50,6106,100

Who is named Hancock

Race and Hispanic origin as people reported it in the 2010 Census

87% of people named Hancock identified as white (not Hispanic), 7.7% as Black (not Hispanic) and 2.2% as Hispanic or Latino (any race).

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

Compare: most common surnames among white Americans.

Famous Hancocks

18 notable people on Wikidata, most written-about first

  • 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, born 1950
  • Vincent Hancock
    American sport shooter, born 1989
  • Sheila Hancock
    British actress, born 1933
  • John Lee Hancock
    American film director, writer and producer (born 1956)
  • Micha Hancock
    American volleyball player, born 1992
  • G'Angelo Hancock
    American Greco-Roman wrestler, born 1997
  • 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)

Notable Hancocks come mostly from the United States (14), the United Kingdom (3) and Australia (1).

Questions

Where does the surname Hancock come from?
From Hann + cock (a medieval diminutive suffix).
How common is the surname Hancock?
50,558 people in the United States had the surname Hancock in the 2010 Census, about 1 in every 6,107 Americans. It ranked 681st of 162,253 surnames.
What ethnicity is the surname Hancock?
In the 2010 Census, 87% of people named Hancock identified as white (not Hispanic), and 7.7% as Black (not Hispanic).
Who is the most famous person named Hancock?
Herbie Hancock, American jazz pianist and composer (born 1940), followed by John Hancock.
Where is the surname Hancock most common?
Wikidata records people named Hancock in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.
How do you pronounce Hancock?
Hancock is /ˈhæŋkɒk/, 2 syllables.
What type of surname is Hancock?
Hancock is a patronymic surname, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name.
Is the surname Hancock getting more or less common?
More common. 49,330 people carried it in the 2000 Census and 50,558 in 2010, up 2.5%.