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Surname Etymology and Meaning of ROOK

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Name meanings and etymologies are often disputed. The information here is compiled from freely available sources, and no claims whatsoever are made for accuracy, either historical or etymological.

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 1.
3. German: from a short form of a Germanic personal name formed with hrok, 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.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names (2003)