This unusual and interesting surname, with variant spellings Eatuck, Etock, Etuck, Estick, Estock, and Eattok is of English locational origin. It derives from one of the estimated five thousand medieval villages and hamlets that existed in the past centuries, but have now completely disappeared, only the surname in its often myriad spellings surviving to remind us of its former existence. There are several reasons as to why they ceased to exist. These range from the bizarre 'falling into the sea', the fate of a number of settlements and even towns particularly on the east coats, to the more mundane enforced "clearance" to make way for the economic operation of sheep pastures at the height of the wool trade in the 14th Century. Natural causes such as the Black Death of 1348 also contributed to the lost village phenomenon, as did the civil war known as the war of the Roses during the 15th century. In this case it is believed that the original place may have been located in Lancashire as many church register recordings of the name are found there. The name itself is composed of the Old English "East", meaning 'east of', and "stoc" or "wic", meaning a cattle or dairy farm. Hence farm on the east side of a village. Examples of recordings include Annes Estweeke who married John Dorden at St Peters church, Cornhill, London, on June 11th 1564, and on January 2nd 1733, the christening at St. Andrews church, Holborn, London, of John, the son of Thomas and Ann Eateck. Throughout the centuries surnames in every country have continued to "develop," often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.