Cox Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Cox Family History

Cox Family History

The Cox ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives.

Surnames developed a wide number of variants over the centuries. Many different spelling variations of the same name can be traced back to a single original root. Also, when a bearer of a name emigrated from Ireland it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books upon arrival at their new location. Some names have dozens of spelling variations. Some Surnames were also altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically, by their sound, and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another. This was especially so in Ireland where most Gaelic names were 'anglicized' at some stage.

Variants of the name Cox include Cocks, Cockson, Coxe, Coxen, Coxon, Coxson and McQuilly. This name is of Anglo-Celtic descent spreading to the countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout these countries. Examples of such are a Thomas Cokson who was recorded in the 'Poll tax of the West Riding of Yorkshire', England, in the year 1379 and a Robert Cockson who was registered in the University of Oxford, in the year 1555. In the 'Nuns Priests Tale' by Chaucer it is said of Chanticleer, 'Nothing ne list thanne for to crow, but cried anon cok, cok, and up he sterte'. Thus 'cock' became the general sobriquet of a sharp and forward lad. In Ireland Cox is often a form of the name MacQuilly which in Gaelic is Mac an Choiligh and is found throughout the four Provinces. This Gaelic Sept was originally located in County Roscommon. MacGilly and Magilly are County Monaghan variants of MacQuilly that have often been subsequently changed to Cox.The Cox family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Cox descendants.