Woodcock is an English-language surname. It is derived from the bird of the same name (; ). It may have been an occupational surname given to people who bought or sold woodcocks, or as a nickname for a person who was gullible like the bird, which was easy to catch. It may also be a variant of the toponymic surname Woodcott (from the 'wood' + 'cottage', 'shelter'; referring to places such as Woodcote, Oxfordshire, England) created by confusion between the Middle English and . Notable people with the surname include:
Ashley Woodcock (born 1947), Australian cricketer Bill Woodcock (born 1971), American computer scientist Bruce Woodcock (boxer) (1921–1997), English boxer Bruce Woodcock (computer games analyst) (born 1970), American computer games analyst Carla Woodcock (born 1998), English actress Chandler Woodcock (fl. 2000s), American politician from Maine Charles Woodcock (1850–1923), lover of King Karl of Württemberg George Woodcock (1912–1995), Canadian writer and historian George Woodcock (cricketer) (1894–1968), batsman George Woodcock (trade unionist) (1904–1979), English trade unionist Janet Woodcock (born 1948), American physician, acting Commissioner of the FDA Jim Woodcock, British computer scientist John A. Woodcock Jr. (born 1950), United States federal judge John Woodcock (American football) (1954–1998), American football player John Woodcock (cricket writer) (1926–2021), British cricket writer and journalist John Woodcock (magistrate) (born 1967), Italian prosecutor John Woodcock (martyr) (1603–1646), English Franciscan martyr John Woodcock (politician) (born 1978), British politician, also known as Lord Walney Jonathan Woodcock (born 1962), Royal Navy officer Kim Joanne Woodcock Lukas (born 1977), British-Italian pop singer known as Kim Lukas Joseph C. Woodcock (1925–1997), American politician from New Jersey Leonard F. Woodcock (1911–2001), trade union leader, American diplomat Leslie V. Woodcock (born 1945), chemistry professor at the University of Manchester Luke Woodcock (born 1982), New Zealand cricketer Patrick Woodcock (born 1968), Canadian writer and poet Peter Woodcock (1939–2010), Canadian serial killer, rapist, and necrophile Richard Woodcock (1928–2024), developed Woodcock–Johnson tests of cognitive abilities Steven Woodcock (born 1964), British actor Thomas Woodcock (officer of arms) (born 1951), British Officer of Arms Thomas Woodcock (VC) (1888–1918), a British recipient of the Victoria Cross Tommy Woodcock (1905–1985), Australian strapper of champion horse Phar Lap Tony Woodcock (footballer) (born 1955), English (soccer) football player Tony Woodcock (rugby player) (born 1981), New Zealand rugby player William John Woodcock (c. 1808–1868), Anglican priest in South Australia Victor Hulme Woodcock (computer builder born 1966 Tyldesley)
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