Surname Wilcox - Meaning and Origin

Unraveling my Genetic Tapestry: A Deep Dive into the Wilcox Lineage through an iGENEA DNA Test

Diving into the profound world of genealogy through a iGENEA DNA test, I had the chance to delve into the origin and history of my surname, Wilcox. Discovering its Anglo-Saxon roots, tracing migration patterns, and watching the story of my ancestors unravel was truly thrilling and enlightening.

A. Wilcox

Wilcox: What does the surname Wilcox mean?

The surname Wilcox originates from the medieval English personal name Wilcock, which is a diminutive of William. The name William is derived from two Germanic elements: "wil," meaning desire or will, and "helm," meaning helmet or protection. Therefore, the literal meaning of the name could be interpreted as "protector with will" or "one with resolute protection".

Over time, "Wilcock" became "Wilcox" with ‘s’ signifying ‘son of’ - so, 'Wilcox' effectively means 'son of Wilcock' or 'son of William'. Variations of the surname include Willcox, Willcocks, Willcoxon, amongst others.

The geographical spread of the Wilcox name in the early years was mainly in England and Scotland. Later, due to emigration, it spread to North America, Australia, and other parts of the world. Nowadays, it's common worldwide, with a notable presence in the United States.

Wilcox: Where does the name Wilcox come from?

The last name Wilcox is an English surname that has spread throughout the world, but is most commonly found in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

In the United States, data from the 2000 US census reveals that Wilcox is the 579th most common name, with 59,102 people bearing the name. It is particularly common in the southern states, with Missouri ranking 6th in the US for the highest concentration of Wilcox’s. In the UK, Wilcox is the 642nd most popular surname and is most prevalent in Lancashire, followed by Greater London and West Yorkshire.

In Canada, however, Wilcox is less common, ranking 1355th out of the top 15000 surnames. It is most commonly found in British Columbia, followed by Ontario and Alberta. In Australia, it is also less common, ranking 1250th. Wilcox is most likely to be found in Victoria, followed by New South Wales and Western Australia.

Altogether, Wilcoxes make up about 0.0025% of the population in the US, Canada, and Australia, with the highest concentration being in the US. The total population of Wilcoxes worldwide is estimated to be around 200,000.

Variations of the surname Wilcox

The surname Wilcox is believed to have several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Wilcoxen, Wilcock, Wilks, Wilkes, Wilkin, Wilkins, Wilkie, and Wilkin.

Wilcoxen is a version of the surname Wilcox dating back to the early 13th century in England. It is derived from the Old English personal name “Wilcoc” and a diminutive suffix “-en.”

Wilcock is an anglicized form of the surname Wilcox. The derivation is still from the Old English “Wilcoc.” The “coc” element of the original name means “son of Wil”. Wilcock can also be seen in various spellings, such as Wilicoc, Wilicok, Wilicox and Willicox.

Wilks originates from a similar source as the Wilcox surname, with the “ks” element being a form of the diminutive suffix “-en” which also makes up the Wilcoxen variant.

Wilkes is another variant of the surname Wilcox. It is derived from the Old English “Wilcoc” and a diminutive suffix “-es”. The surname of Wilkes is believed to have first appeared in the early 13th century in England.

Wilkin, Wilkins, Wilkie and Wilkin are all derived from the Old English personal name “Wilcoc”. The meaning of this name is “son of Wil”. The surname is thought to have been of medieval origin in England. It is believed to have first appeared in the early 14th century. All of these variant spellings of the name Wilcox share a common ancestry and likely have the same origin.

Famous people with the name Wilcox

• Kellan Wilcox: Actor
• Chris Wilcox: Retired NBA player
• Amanda Wilcox: Actress
• Jeff Wilcox: Grammy award-winning songwriter
• Sloan Wilcox: Retired NFL player
• Don Wilcox: Actor and model
• Nancy Wilcox: Actress
• Stephanie Wilcox: Television presenter
• Thomas Wilcox: 16th century English leader
• Lyman Wilcox: Civil war veteran
• Kris Wilcox: Musician
• Larry Wilcox: Actor
• Ed Wilcox: Actor
• Les Wilcox: Country singer/songwriter
• Nicole Wilcox: Actress
• Mick Wilcox: Actor
• Landon Wilcox: Author and speaker
• John Wilcox: Professional photographer
• Jo Wilcox: Fashion designer
• Justin Wilcox: American college football coach

Other surnames

WilcocksWilcocksonWilcottWilcoxson