<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-04-27</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000736260</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HANCOCK JOHN FINANCIAL SERVICES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>JHF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001110181</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DECICCIO JOHN M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>JOHN HANCOCK PLACE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>PO BOX 111</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02117</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Exec VP &amp; Chief Invest Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-04-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>76721</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>46.4350</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>170670</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-04-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>170670</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-04-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>42472</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By 401(k)</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Deferred Stock Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.0000</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-04-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7705.21</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>7705.21</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>35.5300</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-04-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>275000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F9"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2006-02-05</value>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>275000.00</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>41.6200</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-04-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>200000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F10"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F10"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-01-09</value>
                <footnoteId id="F10"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>200000.00</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>41.4000</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-04-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>93750</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F11"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F11"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-02-09</value>
                <footnoteId id="F11"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>93750.00</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares withheld by the Company for the payment of tax liability incident to the vesting of shares of restricted stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Disposed pursuant to merger agreement between issuer and Manulife Financial Services in exchange for 202,295 shares of Manulife common stock having a market value of $37.10 per share on the effective date of the merger.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Disposed pursuant to merger agreement between issuer and Manulife Financial Services in exchange for 50,342 shares of Manulife common stock having a market value of $37.10 per share on the effective date of the merger.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The John Hancock 401(k) JHF Stock Fund was closed on March 30, 2004 in anticipation of the merger with Manulife Financial Services.  All assets in the fund were sold and the proceeds reinvested into another fund option.  Exempt pursuant to Rule 16b-3(c).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Deferred stock units, or DSUs, are obligations of the Company to pay deferred compensation in the future with a return on the amount of compensation deferred equal to the return that would occur if the deferred amount were used to purchase shares of the Company's common stock, including the reinvestment of cash dividends when paid into shares of common stock.  DSUs are not convertible into another security of the Company and cannot be settled in or surrendered for shares of stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">1-for-1</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">DSUs are payable in cash upon separation unless a specific deferral date is designated.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">Pursuant to merger agreement between issuer and Manulife Financial Services, these DSUs are deemed to be invested in 9,132 DSUs based on Manulife shares and have a value of $37.10 per DSU on the effective date of the merger.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">Pursuant to merger agreement between issuer and Manulife Financial Services, this option was assumed by Manulife in the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 325,957 shares of Manulife common stock for $29.98 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F10">Pursuant to merger agreement between issuer and Manulife Financial Services, this option was assumed by Manulife in the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 237,060 shares of Manulife common stock for $35.11 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F11">Pursuant to merger agreement between issuer and Manulife Financial Services, this option was assumed by Manulife in the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 111,121 shares of Manulife common stock for $34.93 per share. This option vests in two equal annual installments beginning on February 9, 2005, which vesting is not affected by the merger.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: James R. Savage, Jr., Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-04-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0202
4
2004-04-27
1
0000736260
HANCOCK JOHN FINANCIAL SERVICES INC
JHF
0001110181
DECICCIO JOHN M
JOHN HANCOCK PLACE
PO BOX 111
BOSTON
MA
02117
0
1
0
0
Exec VP & Chief Invest Officer
Common Stock
2004-04-27
4
F
0
76721
46.4350
D
170670
D
Common Stock
2004-04-28
4
D
0
170670
0
D
0
D
Common Stock
2004-04-28
4
D
0
42472
0
D
0
I
By Trust
Common Stock
0
I
By 401(k)
Deferred Stock Units
0.0000
2004-04-28
4
D
0
7705.21
0
D
Common Stock
7705.21
0.00
D
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)
35.5300
2004-04-28
4
D
0
275000
0
D
2006-02-05
Common Stock
275000.00
0.00
D
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)
41.6200
2004-04-28
4
D
0
200000
0
D
2007-01-09
Common Stock
200000.00
0.00
D
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)
41.4000
2004-04-28
4
D
0
93750
0
D
2009-02-09
Common Stock
93750.00
0.00
D
Shares withheld by the Company for the payment of tax liability incident to the vesting of shares of restricted stock.
Disposed pursuant to merger agreement between issuer and Manulife Financial Services in exchange for 202,295 shares of Manulife common stock having a market value of $37.10 per share on the effective date of the merger.
Disposed pursuant to merger agreement between issuer and Manulife Financial Services in exchange for 50,342 shares of Manulife common stock having a market value of $37.10 per share on the effective date of the merger.
The John Hancock 401(k) JHF Stock Fund was closed on March 30, 2004 in anticipation of the merger with Manulife Financial Services.  All assets in the fund were sold and the proceeds reinvested into another fund option.  Exempt pursuant to Rule 16b-3(c).
Deferred stock units, or DSUs, are obligations of the Company to pay deferred compensation in the future with a return on the amount of compensation deferred equal to the return that would occur if the deferred amount were used to purchase shares of the Company's common stock, including the reinvestment of cash dividends when paid into shares of common stock.  DSUs are not convertible into another security of the Company and cannot be settled in or surrendered for shares of stock.
1-for-1
DSUs are payable in cash upon separation unless a specific deferral date is designated.
Pursuant to merger agreement between issuer and Manulife Financial Services, these DSUs are deemed to be invested in 9,132 DSUs based on Manulife shares and have a value of $37.10 per DSU on the effective date of the merger.
Pursuant to merger agreement between issuer and Manulife Financial Services, this option was assumed by Manulife in the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 325,957 shares of Manulife common stock for $29.98 per share.
Pursuant to merger agreement between issuer and Manulife Financial Services, this option was assumed by Manulife in the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 237,060 shares of Manulife common stock for $35.11 per share.
Pursuant to merger agreement between issuer and Manulife Financial Services, this option was assumed by Manulife in the merger and replaced with an option to purchase 111,121 shares of Manulife common stock for $34.93 per share. This option vests in two equal annual installments beginning on February 9, 2005, which vesting is not affected by the merger.
By: James R. Savage, Jr., Attorney-in-fact
2004-04-30