American revolutionary patriot who was president of the Continental Congress; was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence (1737-1793)
"John Hancock, a prominent American revolutionary patriot and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence, boldly signed his name large at the top of the document."
A patronymic surname, from given names.
"The genealogist traced the family's hancock name back to a great-grandfather named Hans."
The word hancock is a compound formed from the name Hann and the Old English suffix -cock. It was originally used as a familiar or affectionate term for a man named Hann before evolving into its modern meaning.