shaddock

Origin

A clipping of earlier shaddock-tree. Popularly claimed to be from a "Captain Shaddock" of the British East India Company who introduced its seeds to Barbados from Southeast Asia. However, there are various historical problems concerning this lore, mainly pertaining to records of the purported seaman's surname; for one thorough review see this article by Shattocke Family history here (nota bene: Dead link. Try similar substitute page). Compare etymology of shrapnel, veritably also from a British officer's surname. The surname itself is of Old English origin; probably from or related to Chaddock at Lancashire, an estate in the township of Tyldesley, in the parish of Leigh (see Chaddock Hall). The second particle may be descended from the diminutive suffix -ock, but it is more likely ultimately cognate with English oak. However, Shaddock is an attested old variant of the name Chadwick and it may simply be from that.