Clan Pollock

Pollock Crest "Boldly and Strongly:"

Clan Pollock International

One of the oldest names in Scotland

Pollock Crest "Boldly and Strongly:"

The Pedigree of Pollock

John F. Polk, Jr.
Historian, Clan Pollock Internation

The family of Pollock traces back to twelfth century Scotland and took its name from the ancient lands of Pulloc in Refrewshire to the southwest of present day Glasgow. The laird of the lands of Upper Pollock or Over Pollock began to use the name "de Polloc" at that time and in due course the principal branch of the family came to be known as Pollock of-that-Ilk. There was a recognized head or laird of this line until it ended without a successor in 1845.

Various accounts of the lineage of Pollock of-that-Ilk have appeared in such works as "Polk Family and Kinsmen", by W. H. Polk (1913), "Pogue/Pollock/Polk Genealogy as Mirrored in History", by Lloyd Welch Pogue (1990) and "Pollock Pedigree" by Edward A. L. Cock (1980). The original and most authoritative account from which these later works have borrowed first appeared in "A General Description of the Shire of Renfrew" authored by George Crawfurd in 1710 and revised by George Robertson in 1818. This work is the starting point for Pollock family genealogy and any departures from it should cite appropriate primary sources in explanation. This basic reference is reprinted here for those who have not yet seen it.

Note: there are actually two accounts in Crawfurd/Robertson, found on pages 37-39 and 289-293; the latter, Robertson's revision, is shown here. The references it makes, to "page 37" for example, relate to Crawfurd's 1710 work, which in some cases provide more information than in Robertson's revision.

THE FAMILY OF POLLOK OF MEARNS PARISH, SHIRE OF RENFREW

From: A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SHIRE OF RENFREW, including an Account of the Noble and Ancient Families, who, from the Earliest Times Have Had Property in that County, and the Most Remarkable Facts in the Lives of Distinguished Individuals" by George Crawfurd

Author of "The Peerage of Scotland", etc and continued to the Present Period

By George Robertson,

Author of the Agricultural Survey of Mid Lothian, etc

Family Descent. POLLOK OF-THAT-ILK. This family is, without question, among the most ancient in Scotland. The first of which (anciently called Pulloc) whose existence can be proven by written evidence, was,

    1. Fulbert; he had three sons, Peter, Robert, and Helias. Peter, the eldest, was a man of great eminence in his day, (see page 37.) but he died without male issue. Helias, the third son, was in holy orders.
    2. Robert, the second son, seems to have been a companion of Walter the Stewart of Scotland. He was one of the witnesses of the Charter of Paisley, in 1164 ( see page 136 ). He appears to have been succeeded by his son,
    3. Robert (see an instance of his munificence to the Paisley Monks, page 37). He appears to have been succeeded by his son,
    4. Peter de Pulloc, who is a witness to a resignation by Dungallus, son of Christinus, Judge of Lennox, of the lands of Cullbuth, supposed to be Kilbowie, in the district of Lennox, and of a piece of ground near the Kirk of Kilpatrick, to the Abbey of Paisley. Among the witnesses, he is set down immediately after Alano de Cathcart, and, from the Chartulary, it would appear that this was about the year 1234.
    5. The next in the course of succession, appears to be Thomas de Pulloc, who, in 1270, is witness to a resignation by John de Wardroba Bernaird de Erth, &c. In favor of the Abbey of Paisley, of the lands of Cachmannock, supposed now Cochnoch, Femballoch, Edenbarnon, Bachannet, Drumgreave, &c. He is set down among the witnesses after John de Knox. He appears to have been succeeded by,
    6. John de Pulloc, who lived in the time of Edward I of England, and, unfortunately for himself and family, took part with Baliol against Bruce. He appears from Pryne's collection, p.662, to have sworn fealty to Edward; and in the reign of Robert Bruce, about 1310, there appears to have been a grant by Robert of his moveable goods to the Abbey of Arbroath, for his joining the English. Probably, from this cause, and at any rate about this period, a part of the family estate appears to have been ravished from the Polloks of that-Ilk, and to have been seized by the Maxwells, Lords of the Mearns.
    7. Robert de Pollok, successor to the above John, espoused Agnes, daughter of John Maxwell, Lord of the Mearns. He appears to have been succeeded by,
    8. John de Pollok his son, and accordingly there is in the charter-chest of Over Pollok, an original charter, dated 3d May 1372, granted by John Maxwell, Lord of the Mearns, with consent of Robert de Maxwell, his son, and heir to his beloved Kinsman, heir of Robert de Pollok, son of Agnes Maxwell, deceased, the daughter of the said John Lord of the Mearns. He appears to have been succeeded by
    9. John Pollok, designated of that-ilk, in an instrument of resignation in the charter-chest of Lord Dundonald, dated 30th March 1441, bearing to be granted by the said John Pollok and Walter Spreul of Cowden, in favor of Thomas Spreul, of
    10. Charles Pollok, and of this date (28th July 1486), John Maxwell, Lord of the Mearns, granted a charter of the Lands of Over Pollok to the said Charles, designing him his kinsman, and to Margaret Stewart his wife, daughter of the Laird of Minto, (see page 38) in conjunct fee and liferent, and to the heirs male procreated betwixt them, who failing, to the superior on Charles's own resignation. He had two sons, 1. John; 2. David, of whom afterwards. The eldest son, John, died in his father's life-time. He married Janet Spreul, a lady of the family of Cowden, by whom he had a son, John, who succeeded his grandfather, but, dying in his infancy, the estate, in terms of the investiture to heirs male, devolved upon
    11. David, the second son of Charles, who obtained from the superior a charter, dated the last July 1527, altering the Investiture from heirs male to his heirs whatsoever. He married Marion, or rather Margaret, (see page 38) daughter of William Stewart of Castlemilk, by whom he left JohnPollok, his son and heir, who, in consequence of a particular agreement entered into by his father, married Margaret, daughter of Gabriel Sempill of Cathcart. Crawfurd says that David left a younger son, of whom the Polloks of Balgray were descended; but I have not been able to see any evidence of this descent, though I see he had a younger son, Charles Pollok, and this Charles was afterwards designed of Greenhill, and by Janet Stirling, his spouse, Charles left a son John. David Pollok appears to have died in 1545, and was succeeded by his son,
    12. John, who dying in 1564, left a son and heir. From the donations of the churches of Mearns and Pollok by the Pollocks of that-ilk, to the Abbey of Paisley, it seems extremely probable, that the barony of Mearns and lands of Nether Pollok were their property; and this opinion is very considerably strengthened, if not evident, from the circumstance of the lands of Nether Pollok bearing their name.
    13. John Pollok, who married Janet Mure, (see page 38), daughter of William Mure of Glanderston, and he appears to have died before March 1577, and was succeeded by his son,
    14. John Pollok, who married, 1. Maud Montgomery, daughter of Neil Montgomery of Lainshaw; and it would appear, that certain differences having arisen betwixt them, a divorce had taken place, and it appears he was afterwards married to Dorthea Stuart of Cardonald, by whom he had, 1. Robert; 2. Mary, who married James Williamson, brother of Robert Williamson of Murieston. Being at the conflict at Locherby, in the year 1593, assisting his kinsman, Lord Maxwell, agassisting his kinsman, Lord Maxwell, against the Laird of Johnston, was the
    15. Robert, who was married to Jean, daughter of James Mowat of Busby, and by her had his eldest daughter, name unknown, married to John Pollok of Balgray, whose issue seems to have failed; also, 1. Robert; 2. Helen, married to Robert Marshall, writer in Glasgow, by whom she had no surviving issue. This Robert acquired the superiority of the estate from the Earl of Nithsdale, and came thereby again to hold it of the crown. He died in 1657, and was succeeded by his son,
    16. Robert, who, in 1660, married Jean Crawfurd, daughter of Cornelius Crawfurd of Jordanhill, by whom he had; 1. Robert, and several other children, of whom there is no issue, except by a daughter, married to Semple of Beltrees. He died in 1676, and was succeeded by his son,
    17. Robert Pollok, who was married, 1 to Annabella, daughter of Sir George Maxwell of Nether Pollock; 2. To Annabella, daughter of Walter Stewart of Pardovan. He was, by her Majesty Queen Anne, created a Baronet of Nova Scotia, 30th November 1703, to him and to the heirs male of his body; it proceeds upon a recital of the antiquity and flourishing condition of the ancient family of Pollok of that-ilk, for 600 years then by-past, since the reigns of David and William, Kings of Scotland; also, upon recital of the many illustrious services of the said Robert, now Sir Robert of that-ilk, the representative without interruption, of that ancient family. As also, his faithful and zealous services, in defending the reformed religion at the time of the Revolution, and that, when bearing the King's commission, he had been taken, and confined in the most barbarous and uncivilized places of the Highlands, during the space of nine months, because he would not renounce his allegiance to King William. By his second wife, he had four sons and three daughters; 1. Robert, an Officer in the army, who died before his father , without issue; 2. Walter, of whom afterwards; 3. John, a Captain in the army - was killed at the battle of Fontenoy. He married to Ann, daughter of John Lockhart of Lee, by whom he left one daughter, Robina, of whom afterwards; 4. William, who died without issue. 1. Elizabeth, married to Alexander Hamilton of Grange, and had issue; 2. Jean, married to James Polok of Arthurlie, and had issue; Annabella, married to James Hamilton of Newton, surgeon in Glasgow, who had an only son, James, who died without issue. Sir Robert Pollok died in 1736, and was succeeded by
    18. Walter Pollok, the second son, who married --- Bogle, daughter of ---Bogle of Daldowie, merchant in Glasgow; by the said Lady, 1. Robert; 2. Walter, who died unmarried; 3. John, an Officer in His Majesty's service, who died unmarried; 4th, Elizabeth, who died unmarried; 5, Jean of whom afterwards; Walter, having predeceased his father, his eldest son,
    19. Sir Robert, succeeded to his grandfather. He married to Ann Crawfurd, daughter of the Reverend Cornelius Crawfurd, son of Lawrence Crawfurd of Jordanhill, Esquire, by whom he had an only daughter, Cornelia, and he dying, 1783, was succeeded by
    20. Cornelia Pollok, his only child, who survived her father but a very short time, having died in her infancy, on 28th Feb, 1785, and was succeeded by her aunt,
    21. Jean Pollok, who died unmarried, in 1807, and was succeeded by her cousin,
    22. Robina Pollok, only child of Captain John Pollok of Belgray, and relict of Sir Hew Crawfurd of Jordanhill, Bart. There exist of this marriage, 1. Sir Robert Crawfurd, bart. married Miss Mushat: no issue.
    23. 2. Hew, a Captain in the Army, married Jane, daughter of the late William Johnston, Esq; of Headfort, in the county of Leitrim, Ireland, by whom he had an issue,
    24. 1. Hugh, an Officer in the army; 2. Robert; 3. Jane Pollok; 4. Maria; 5. Anne.
    25. 3. Mary, married to Colonel Hamilton of Bardowie, no issue; 4. Robina, unmarried; and 5. Lucken, married to General John Gordon Cumming Skene, of Pitlurg Dice, &c. Aberdeenshire, issue, four sons and five daughters.

John F. Polk, Jr.

Historian, Clan Pollock International

For additional information about Pollock genealogy see:

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