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Bock History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Sources

Bock History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Scotland

Early Origins of the Bock family

The surname Bock was first found in Alsace and Franconia, where the name could be considered to have made a great early contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of early development of Europe. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the savage tribal and national conflicts, each group seeking power and status in an ever changing territorial profile. The Bock branch of Strasbourg enjoyed prestige in this city; Cunz Bock was knighted by King Albrecht I of Germany in 1298, and his descendant Georg Jacob was leader of the city in 1587. Sigmund von Bock was Bishop of Cammin in Pomerania in 1446.

Early History of the Bock family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bock research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1314, 1498, 1554, 1695, 1731, 1748 and 1794 are included under the topic Early Bock History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bock Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Bock, Bocke, Boch, Boche, Bauck, Baucke, Bauch, Bauche, Bokke and many more.

Early Notables of the Bock family

Notables of the period with the surname Bock were

Nicolaus Bock, who was a chancellor and emissary for the election of the Emperor in Frankfurt in 1314. Hieronymus Bock (Latinised Hieronymus Tragus
c. 1498-1554) was a German botanist, physician, and Lutheran minister who began the transition from medieval botany to the modern scientific worldview by arranging plants by their relation or resembla...

Bock Ranking

In the United States, the name Bock is the 3,354^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Bock is ranked the 9,022^nd most popular surname with an estimated 500 - 1,000 people with that name. 2

Bock migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bock Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Nicklaus Bock, who landed in Delaware in 1643 3
William Bock, who landed in Virginia in 1665 3

Bock Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Maria Elizabeth Bock, aged 2, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1731 3
Maria Katherina Bock, aged 10, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1731 3
Maria Palma Bock, aged 8, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1731 3
Leonard Bock, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1731 3
Leonard Bock, aged 5, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1731 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bock Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Bock, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1813 3
Karl Bock, who arrived in Brazil in 1825 3
Joh Jos Henr Bock, who landed in America in 1830 3
Mr Bock, who landed in North America in 1832 3
Mr. Bock, who arrived in North America in 1832 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bock migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bock Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Hacob Bock, who arrived in Canada in 1831
Mr. Friederik Bock, aged 4, German settler who landed in Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Leibig" in 1868
Mr. Bock,, German settler who landed in Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Leibig" in 1868
Augusta Bock, aged 31, who arrived in Quebec in 1868 aboard the ship "Leibig"

Bock migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Bock Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Bock, English convict from Warwick, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on July 29th, 1823, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 4
Alfred Bessell Bock, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lloyds" in 1838 5
Sarah Bock, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lloyds" in 1838 5
August Bock, aged 36, who arrived in South Australia in 1847 aboard the ship "Gellert" 6
Charles Bock, aged 28, who arrived in South Australia in 1847 aboard the ship "Gellert" 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bock (post 1700) +

Lawrence A. "Larry" Bock (1959-2016), American entrepreneur and investor whose businesses have a market value of more than 70 billion
Jerry Bock (1928-2010), American composer of musicals, recipient of the Tony award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama with Sheldon Harnick for their 1959 musical Fiorello! and the Tony Award for Best Composer and Lyricist for the 1964 musical Fiddler on the Roof with Harnick 7
Richard Bock (1865-1949), American sculptor
Thea Bock (1938-2025), German politician who served in the Hamburg Parliament from 1982 to 1984 and again from 1986 to 1988
Carl Ernst Bock (1809-1874), German anatomist
Dagmar Bock (1920-2010), known as Dagmar Ostermann, Austrian Holocaust survivor
Jean Bock (1931-2022), Belgian politician, Member of the Liberal Reformist Party (PRL) and later the Reformist Movement (MR)
Ute Bock (1942-2018), Austrian educator
Fritz Bock (b. 1911), Austrian Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry
Alfred Bock (1859-1932), who composed stories and novels in the Hessian tradition
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Bock Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Noblesse oblige

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1823 with 151 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1823
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LLOYDS from London 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838Lloyds.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) GELLERT 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Gellert.htm
Jerry Bock. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Jerry Bock. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Bock