Hammock
A surname that most likely began as a nickname or a place-based name, ultimately tied to the English word for a hanging bed or swing.
The #4,877 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 42,751 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hammock is probably an English surname formed from the common word "hammock," which entered English through Spanish and Caribbean usage. The everyday noun originally referred to a netted hanging bed, and the surname may have arisen as a nickname, an occupational label, or from a topographic term in some cases. Because the surname is not especially well documented in standard surname dictionaries, its exact origin is uncertain.
History
The name is relatively uncommon and is best understood as an English-language surname that later spread to North America. In the United States it is found chiefly in scattered family lines rather than as a strongly regional surname. As with many less common surnames, more than one origin may have been possible for different bearers.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The word "hammock" itself came into English long before the surname became established and originally referred to a suspended sleeping net, especially in maritime and tropical settings.