ROOK Y-DNA Surname Project- Background

Background

Names in the study group appear to have 4 possible origins.
1. English; nickname from the bird (Old English "hroc"), most likely given to a person with very dark hair or a dark complexion or to someone with a raucous voice.
2. English; some early examples,such as Robert of ye Rook (London 1318) and Henry del Rook (staffordshire 1332), point clearly to a local name of some kind. The first of these could be from a house sign, the second may be a variant of "Rock".
3. German; from a short form of a Germanic personal name formed with "hroc", of uncertain origin, perhaps a cognate of 1 or from Middle High German "rohen" "to cry or yell" (in battle) or Old High German ruoh "intent".
4. Perhaps an altered spelling of German "Ruck".