ORIGINS OF THE PEACOCK NAME


Unfortunately many early records have not survived. Some were taken to England by Edward I and when they were returned  in barrels by ship, one of the ships sank and all those records were lost. Then, records were left to rot in rat infested cellars of the old Parliament House in Edinburgh. Almost all the early records have been printed,particularly by the various antiquarian and historical societies which existed in the last century, such as the Bannatyne Club, Maitland Club and so on.

These records mostly involve land transactions. Scotland became a feudal country during the reign of David I (1124-1153),when he granted large tracts of land to Anglo-Normans whom he had encouraged to come to Scotland. These grants were confirmed in charters. It was also during his reign that the Sheriffdoms were established, as well as royal burghs. He also founded new religious houses, mainly Cistercian and Augustinian priories. In time,these monasteries acquired large areas of land, often as gifts from wealthy lords to ensure that masses would be said for their souls. So, the early records consist of royal charters, records of the monasteries and the royal burghs.

It stands to reason therefore that people who appear in these early records are limited to those who were granted lands were officials involved in the making of charters or were witnesses to such charters. A large proportion of the population was excluded as a result.

No witnesses to charters during the reign of Alexander I (1106-1124) had surnames, but surnames start to appear during the reign of his brother, David I.These surnames were connected with land," though a few are desciptive and some were patronymic"  (Introduction to George Black's 'Surnames of Scotland' , xix).

George Black cites a reference to the name Pecoc as a Domesday tenant in 1086, but this only applied to England and so has no relevance with regard to the name in Scotland .The earliest record is quoted as Roger Pacok in Annan, Dumfrieshire in the 13th. century. The source being the Register of the Priory of St.Bees. This was a Priory in Cumberland.

It is only really during the 14th. century that several occurrences of the name can be found. Black cites an Andreas Pacok presbyter and notary public in the diocese of St.Andrews, 1311-21 (ibid,p.653). A 'Dominus Andreas Pacok', notary public also appears in the Registrum de Dunfermelyn (vol.2, p.228;231;251). Here we have an official who could write and so acted as a notary and who was connected to the church (dominus-sir with a small 's' meaning a priest).In the Rotuli Scotiae, there is a list of safe conduct granted to Scottish merchants dated 15 October 1366. Among them was an Adam Pacok, burgess of Stirling (vol.1,p.905). In the Exchequer Rolls (vol.3,p.198), there is an account from 21February-13 June 1388 of John Pacok bailie(magistrate) of the burgh of Lanark.Thomas Pacock was presented to the chaplaincy in 1426 (Registrum Episcopatus Glasguensis p.300).

In the 15th. century, the provost and bailie of Edinburgh produced certain witnesses to be examined on what they knew about the reception of a certain quantity of malt: the malt had been received on the order of the bailie for the use of the King from the vessel 'Adnam' which had formerly been arrested from the goods of an Englishman at the Port of Leith. One of the bailie's receivers was an Andrew Peacock (GD430/184-13August 1457-Napier Muniments).Note: this is taken from the handlist and the compiler has obviously modernised the spelling of Peacock. In November 1465, William Pacok, clerk to the diocese of Glasgow acted as notary when an instrument was taken at the church of St.Brigide of Sanchar (Calender of Charters,vol.3,no.388). A Mathew Pacok, clerk of the diocese of St.Andrews witnessed notarially attested letters of institution directed to sir Thomas Porter chaplain in January 1476 (GD124/9/4-Mar and Kellie Muniments). He also appears as a witness to a charter 1492 (Calendar of Laing Charters,854-1837,no.212), was the writer of a decree and transcript in the Consistory of the Cathedral Church of Aberdeen in 1494 and was a witness to an instrument of sasines of lands in Hamilton granted to the vicar of Kilmalcolm in 1506 (Calendar of Charters,vol.7, nos.592 and 690).

In the 16th.century, James Pacok was witness to a sasine of land from George Kincaid, Baille of Brochtoun to Thomas Cunningham in 1504 (Protocol Book of James Young, 1485 -1515). A precept of remission was granted on the 5 March 1510/11 to John and William Pacok for their art and part in the slaying of William Anderson (Register of the Privy Seal,vol.1, no.2219).

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