The Cox Story

SECTION 1
Surname Meaning
Coat of Arms
Freeman of City of York

SECTION 2
John Cox 1912- 1989
John Cox 1884 - 1926
John Cox 1853 - 1925
Thomas Cox 1823 - 1876
John Cox 1768 - 1844
David Cox 1735 - 1818
Thomas Cox 1710 - 1770

SECTION 3
Title 1
Title 2
Title 3
Title 4
Title 5

SECTION 4
Title 1
Title 2
Title 3
Title 4
Title 5
Title 6

Saint Sampson Church (photography by Dave Cox)

Surname Meaning

Research so far has given us no definitive meaning of the surname Cox who variants include Cocks, Cock, Coxe, Kokx etc... there are currently 3 popular theories on the orgins of the Surname;

	A nickname derived from old english (pre 7th Century) "cocc" which was given to young men strutting around like the bird (a cock).
	A reference to old english "cocc" meaning "the little", this was usually placed after a leaders name as an endearment such as Willcocks, it is thought that cock may have endured as a surname for some families.
	Or a reference to the old english "cock" meaning heap or mound, usually given to those living near heaps, hills etc.. the name Haycock derives from this, again it is thought that only the cock part of the name endured for some.

I guess we will never know exactly where the name derives from, but in our particular line the name changed depending on the parish, with the first real Cox spelling appearing in the early 1800's.

Coat of Arms

There is yet no proof that the our Cox family has a coat of arms, (see http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/Faq.htm ) however there are a number of groups who will sell you a coat of arms for your surname. According to the College of Arms coats of arms belong to the individual, and are granted to them or passed down through a legitimate male line (presumably if you were born out of wedlock your not entitled). The only way determine if our Cox family have a coat of arms is to apply to the office in waiting at the College of Arms with your family history, they will then search there records to find any possible matches. Unfortunately because I'm female I would have no right to use the arms should they even exist.

Freeman of the city of York

The Cox family come from a line of Freeman, starting with John Cox 1768-1844, John applied for his Freeman ship on the 15 Dec 1788 by hereditary right, unfortunately we have yet to find the record for his father David, a miller of Thursday Market, York. John was also a baker and the freeman right passed from father to son with my Granddad (John Cox 1912-1989) receiving his on the 27 Jul 1937. My father then took up his right for Freeman on 21 Sep 1979 (see picture on the home page), coinciding with the first year women were allowed to claim the right.

There are other families in my direct lines that were also Freeman of York, namely Brassey and Habbishaw.

John Brassey 1798-1868 received his Freeman on 22 Jul 1837.

George Habbishaw 1810 -1877 received his Freeman of York 22 April 1871