Gocke

Recorded as Goch, Cock, Gocke, Gockel, Goeckle, Gockeler, Gocken, Gocking, Gocklein, Gocklen, Gockelen, Gockelin, Gockmann and probably others, this is a Germanic surname. It is of ancient pre 7th century origins, and is one of the many surnames which developed from the word "gott" meaning god or more usually good. As to why people should be called good is interesting. It is generally accepted that originally these were personal names of endearment given at baptism, however around the Middle Ages when surname first came into use, or from about the year 1200, diminutives and patronymics were very much in vogue, and many surnames resulted from these. In this case Goch or Gock had its diminutives Gockel or Gocken, meaning the son of Gock or Little Gock, or the double diminutive of Gocklein or Gockelen meaning the son of Little Gock, although Gockeler and Gockmann may have described people who worked for Gock. It is unclear when the name was first recorded but Nikol Goch was a notary or solicitor in the city of Kolman in 1371, and much later Johann Gockelein was recorded at Hochspeyer, Bayern, on January 25th 1763.