Ancient History of the Pidcock Surname

The Anglo Saxons first arrived in England about the year 380 A.D. Emerging from the mists of time was the ancient posterity of Pidcock, and the distinguished history of this surname is closely interwoven into the majestic fabric of the ancient chronicles of England.

Professional analysts have carefully researched such ancient manuscripts as the Domesday Book complied in 1086 A.D., the Ragman Rolls (1291-1296), the Curia Regis Rolls, The Pipe Rolls, the Hearth Rolls, parish registers, baptismals, tax records and other ancient documents and found the first records of the name Pidcock, in Somerset where they were seated from early census rolls taken by the early Kings in Britian to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Many different spelling versions were found in the archives researched. Pidcock occurred in many different manuscripts, and from time to time the surname included the spellings of Pidcock, Piddock, Pidocock, Pitcock, Pittock, and these variations in spelling frequently occurred, even between father and son. Frequently a person was born with one spelling, married with another, and died another. Scribes and church officials spelled the name as it was told to them.

The Pidcock name is believed to be descended originally from the ancient Anglo/Saxon race. This founding race, a fair skinned people led by General/Commanders Hengist and Horsa, settled in England about the year 400 A.D. They came from northern Germany, as far south and west as the Rhine Valley and settled firstly in Kent on the south east coast.

Gradually, they probed north and westward from Kent and during the next four hundred years forced the Ancient Britons back into Wales and Cornwall to the west, and won territories as far north as Lancashire and Yorkshire pushing the Ancient Britons to the Cumbria and southern Scotland. The Angles, on the other hand, occupied the eastern coast, the south folk in Suffolk, the north folk, in Norfolk. The Angles sometimes invaded as far north as Northumbria and the Scottish border. The Anglo/Saxon five century rule was an uncertain time, and the nation divided into five separate kindoms, a high king being elected as supreme ruler. Alfred the Great emerged in the 9th century as the Saxon leader to dispel the Danish invasion. This Viking intrusion, first successful, did more to unite England than any other factor.

In 1066, England, under King Harold, was enjoying reasonable peace and prosperity. However, the Norman invasion from France occured and their victory at the Battle of Hastings, found many of the vanquished Saxon land owners to be forfeited their land by Duke William and his invading nobles. The Saxons were restive under Norman rule and many moved northward to the midlands, Lancashire and Yorkshire where Norman influence prevailed less. Rebellious Norman nobles frequently joined then in their flight northward.