Peter, son of Fulbert or Fulburt, had a grant of Upper Pollock in Renfrewshire from the High Steward, and took his surname from the lands. Between 1177-99 Peter gifted the church of Pulloc and its pertinents to the monastery of Paisley, a gift confirmed by Jocelyn, bishop of Glasgow (RMP., p. 98, 99). Within tue same dates he confirmed the charter of his brother Helias or Helyas of Perthic (now Partick) to the same house (ibid., p. 98,100). Peter de Pollok or Pulloc also possessed lands in Moray, and c. 1172-78 he witnessed the charter by William the Lion granting Rurgin (now Rurgie) to the Abbey of Kinlos (REM., p. 454). He also appears among the witnesses to three other charters by King William in the same chartulary between 1187—99 (p. 6, 9, 11). Robert, son of Fulbert, also appears several times as charter witness between 1165-99, but in no instance is he referred to as 'de Polloc' (RMP., p. 6, 7, 12). In another charter of c. 1200 he appears again as Robert, son of Fulbert, along with his brother Peter, who appears simply as "Petrus fratre ejusdem." A daughter of Peter de Polloc, Muriel, lady of Rothes, married probably about 1220 Walter Morthach, and had by him a daughter Eva Morthach, lady of Rothes. Between 1224—42 Muriel de Polloc gifted her land of Inuerorkel with all its just pertinents for the benefit of the house or hospital erected beside the bridge of Spe (Spey) for the reception of travellers (REM., p. 120). About 1242 or earlier Eva Morthach, domina de Rothes, confirmed the gift of the church of Rothes which her mother Muriel de Rothes had made to the church of Moray, c. 1235 (ibid., p. 123—124). Among the witnesses appear Robert de Pollok and Adam his son. Thomas de Polloc was witness to a document concerning the land of Cnoc in Renfrewshire, 1234 (RMP., p. 180), and to other charters in same record between 1234 and 1272. In the reign of Alexander II, Robert de Pollok, son of Robert, son of Fulbert, granted in pure alms to the monastery of Paisley twelve pennies yearly from the rents of his land of Pollok, for which he expected in return that he and his heirs be admitted to participation in the spiritual benefit arising from all the pious exercises of the Cluniac Order (ibid., p. 378). Peres de Pollok of Lanarkshire and Johan Pollok of Forfershire rendered homage, 1296 (Bain, 11 p. 211,212). John Pollok, who was stewerd of the Abbey of Arbroath, 1299 (RAA., II, p. 164) is John de Pollok, sheriff of Forfer, who was sent with others from Aberdeen to Montrose in 1304 to arrest a vessel of the bishop of Aberdeen reported to be laden with rebel merchants' goods and to bring her to Aberdeen (Bain, II, 439,441). John Pullok, a Scottish merchant, had safe conduct into England, 1453 (Bain, IV, 1264), Peter de Pollok was one of the witnesses to sale of a tenement in Glasgow to Master Patrick Leiche, canon of Glasgow, 1454 (REG., p. 391), 'Schir' Thomas Polio witnessed a sasine in 1478 (Home, 24), and John Pollike was a skinner in Edinburgh, 1678 (Edinb. Marr.). The main line of the family of de Polloc disappeared in the War of Succession, "an era of remarkable changes of families and property." The name has become Polk in the United States, the eleventh president of which was James Knox Polk, a great-great-grandson of Robert Polk or Pollok who emigrated from Ayrshire to the American colonies. The place name on Pont's map of Renfrewshire is spelled Pook, and that is the pronunciation in common speech. Nile Pook was servitor to the bishop of Aberdeen, 1549 (REA., I, p. 435), Mariota Pook was wife of John Watsoun in Cannongait, Edinburgh, 1632 (Retours, Edinburgh, 694), and Isabella Pook was spouse of William Orrok in Edinburgh, 1648 (Inquis., 3455). Pollick 1685, Polloch 1225, Poock 1643.

(Anglo-Latin) = Paul (q.v.) + the English diminutive suff. -ock [Old English -oc] (Celtic) Dweller at 1 the Place of Holes or Pits [Gaelic (and Irish) pollach-poll, a hole, pit, pool + the plenary suff. -ach] 2 the Little Pit [Gaelic pollag] Pollo(c)kshaws, Glasgow, was Pollock in the 12th cent.

(Scottish, German) One who came from the lands of Pollock (little pool), in Renfrewshire; variant of Pollack, q.v.

In English Surnames, i. 169,

Local: from the parish of Pollock in Renfrewshire. The family are descended from Petrus Pollok, temp. Malcolm IV.

Local. Derived from the parish of Bollock, in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The name is from the Gaelic Bollag, "a little, pool, pit, or pond,"a diminutive of pol, a pool. It is vulgarly pronounced Pock or Polk.