Horrock Family History

Perhaps from a lost locality on the River Ribble called Hurroc, alluded to in Hurrocford (about 1330), modern Horrocksford in Clitheroe (Lancs). Lancs Place-Names p. 78 links Hurroc- to modern northern English dialect hurrock ‘piled up heap of stones or rubbish’.

There is no evidence so far for a Middle English surname *atte hurroke. Alternatively, a variant pronunciation of Horwick; see Horwich. Alternatively, perhaps a variant of Scottish Orrock.

Migration of Scots into N England might explain the lateness of the evidence for this name in Lancs and its alternative forms Harrock and Harrocks.

Compare Orrick.

Unexplained.