For many years I have been fascinated with the variation of the name and NOT until recently I have done some serious research into the family trees, As shown in the documentation the Whilock name is much older than Wheelock nevertheless the name has survived with several families in the North of England, Staffordshire and the Midlands using this Surname.
To quote Kevin Whilock who has research this part of the name he states the following:
“It appears our family name lost an ‘L’ at around the turn of the 19th Century. I could go back no further than about 1801. But then I found the same person from 1796, if I remember correctly, with the family name with 2 Ls. Same parents, home village, and the same unusual first name. Gallimore Whilock (Whillock). Gallimore was his mothers maiden name.
The villages of Dilhorne and surrounding area, Caverswall & Forsbrook in Staffordshire.
I then found that there were a lot of Whillocks in the area at that time. It appears we are connected to an affluent family from Cheadle, Staffordshire, just a few miles from the villages of Ipstones, Grindon and Ford etc. One of these is believed to be a Smith Whilock, who immigrated to the USA. The history of Lancaster County Nebraska mentions him and his son”.
However, there are also Whilocks, and Whillocks at Biddulph, another part of the Staffordshire Moorlands, on the northern end of the Potteries.
There are now Whilocks all over Northern staffordshire. Including Ipstones, Leek, Cheadle, Werrington and Wetley Rocks. A family line, are still in Dilhorne, Forsbrook and caverswall. It is not found in great quantities elsewhere.
Another line currently being researched is for David Whillock W(h)il(l)ocks as it is pronounced is in an around Birmingham and the Midlands has a wealth of information over 3 centuries. He has been researching the name and its variations for the Birmingham and Warwickshire areas.
Below is the link of the ancient Pedigree of Whillock of Mossley and Ford with a brief description when Charles Edward Stuart during the Jacobite uprising of 1745 invaded England and came down as far as Derby and chased by the Duke of Cumberland.
Ancient Whillock Family Trees for South East England