This ancient and uncommon Scottish name is thought to derive from a corrupted form of the late Latin term "warectarius", a ploughman, and was found also used as a personal name of byname in Aberdeenshire during the 13th and 14th Centuries. The name has also been used to form placenames, as in Warroch or Warrock Hill in the parish of Orwell, and Warroch Burn, which forms the boundary between Fossoway and Orwell parishes. There is also Warrachstone in Aberdeenshire. The modern surname has a number of variant forms such as Warrack, Warrick, Warrock, and Warrich, and these are reflected in the following examples of the name development: John Werrock was tenant of the bishop of witness in an Aberdeen witch trial in 1596; and James Warrack of Tollafine was accused in 1642 of hiding stolen horses. The marriage of John Warrack and Jannet Yule was recorded a Kildrummy, Aberdeen, on November 6th 1686. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Andrew Warrak, burgess, which was dated 1481, Ancient Charters of Aberdeen, during the reign of King James 111, "King of Scotland", 1460 - 1588. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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