Pollock Family Page

My Pollock family can be traced fairly locally to the East Kilbride area. Details are scarce for the rest of the family, as they did not keep in touch with my grandfather John (Jock) Pollock, born 6 Nov 1892 in Motherwell. The family, however, look to be of Scottish origin.

John served in the Cameronians, the Scottish Rifles, during WWI, joining up in 1914 and later obtaining the Military Medal for bravery, finally ending up as a prisoner of war. Some details on his regiment and his time in the army can be found by clicking on the link above ‘ The Cameronians ‘.

Origins of the Pollock name:

Peter, son of Fulbert, had a grant of Upper Pollock in Renfrewshire from the High Steward, and took his surname from the lands. Between 1177-99 Peter gifted the church of Pulloc and its pertinents to the monastery of Paisley, a gift confirmed by Jocelyn, bishop of Glasgow. Peter de Pollok also possessed lands in Moray, and c1172-78 he witnessed the charter by William the Lion granting Burgin to the Abbey of Kinlos. Thomas de Polloc was witness to a document concerning the land of Cnoc in Renfrewshire, 1234. Peres de Pollok in Lanarkshire of Lanarkshire and Johan Pollok of Forfarshire rendered homage, 1296. John Pollok who was steward of the Abbey of Arbroath, 1299, also sheriff of Forfar was sent with others from Aberdeen to Montrose in 1304 to arrest a vessel of the bishop of Aberdeen reported to be laden with rebel merchant’s goods. John Pollok, a Scottish Merchant, had safe conduct into England, 1453. The main line of the family of de Polloc disappeared in the War of Succession. Other forms of the name include Polk, Pook, Pollick, Pollch and Poock.

Black, G. F., 'The Surnames of Scotland', Birlinn Ltd, Edinburgh, 1996, p625