• Surname has also been spelled as “Holliocke, Holliock, Holiocke, Holiock or Holyocke,” During this period of time, before about the late 1600’s, many writers relied on the spoken phonetic / pronunciation because literacy rate of most people of the time was quite low.

• The surname HOLYOKE and all of its variant forms seem to be derived from the holy oak, or gospel oak, an archaic term for a boundary tree. In Anglo-Saxon it is ““hálig āc” (Holy Oak)

• "Nothing better illustrates the resigned acceptance of the expendability of children than the medival practice of giving the same name to living siblings in the expectation that only one would survive." … "During the middle ages and the sixteenth century, it had been common practice to give a new-born child the same first name as an elder sibling, especially if it was the traditional name for the head of the family."

• The younger, a mercer / tailor specialized in sales of fabric such as velvets, silks, satins and linen.

• John's will, proved January 11, 1587/8 mentions wife Elinor, father-in-law William Abell, Brother Thomas Holiocke, brother-in-law William , Martin and sister Joan Martin, Elizabeth, d/o Joan Martin and an , "unknown child" no additional record.


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• Her first name has also been spelled in other records as “Elinor”

• Some records spell her maiden name as “Woorthinton”


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