NameCensus.

UK surname

Roache

A surname derived from the Old French word "roche", meaning a rocky outcrop or crag.

In the 1881 census there were 184 people recorded with the Roache surname, ranking it #13,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 483, ranked #10,240, up from #13,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Letham, Wyre and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roache is 503 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 162.5%.

1881 census count

184

Ranked #13,551

Modern count

483

2016, ranked #10,240

Peak year

2010

503 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roache had 184 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 483 in 2016, ranked #10,240.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 237 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Roache surname distribution map

The map shows where the Roache surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Roache surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roache over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 68 #21,302
1861 historical 126 #17,569
1881 historical 184 #13,551
1891 historical 230 #13,494
1901 historical 236 #13,616
1911 historical 237 #13,406
1997 modern 438 #10,282
1998 modern 467 #10,120
1999 modern 455 #10,364
2000 modern 443 #10,578
2001 modern 438 #10,462
2002 modern 459 #10,264
2003 modern 451 #10,274
2004 modern 442 #10,459
2005 modern 448 #10,250
2006 modern 446 #10,301
2007 modern 450 #10,335
2008 modern 460 #10,250
2009 modern 486 #10,069
2010 modern 503 #10,017
2011 modern 479 #10,280
2012 modern 466 #10,403
2013 modern 492 #10,138
2014 modern 491 #10,222
2015 modern 485 #10,233
2016 modern 483 #10,240

Geography

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Where Roaches are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, St Marylebone, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Letham, Wyre, County Durham, Malvern Hills and Doncaster. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 3
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Letham Perth and Kinross
2 Wyre 014 Wyre
3 County Durham 048 County Durham
4 Malvern Hills 001 Malvern Hills
5 Doncaster 037 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roache

These lists show first names that appear often with the Roache surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roache

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Roache, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Roache surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Roache household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Roache is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Roache is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Roache falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Roache is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Roache, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Roache

The surname Roache has its origins in medieval England, where it first emerged as a locational name derived from the Old English words 'hreac' or 'hreacca', meaning a rick or stack of hay or grain. The name was likely given to someone who lived near a distinctive rick or haystack.

This surname can be traced back to the 13th century, with one of the earliest recorded instances appearing in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, where a William del Rache is mentioned. The prefix 'del' suggests a locational origin, indicating the family resided near a distinctive rick or haystack at the time.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are references to several places with similar names, such as Rache in Cheshire and Rachebi in Derbyshire, which may have contributed to the development of this surname in those areas.

The earliest known bearer of the Roache surname was Sir John Roache, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in Cheshire during the 14th century. Another notable figure was Robert Roache (1563-1622), a renowned English clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Chester from 1607 until his death.

In the 16th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including Roche, Roache, and Roach, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. One example is Richard Roache (1547-1624), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Andover in 1597.

Another significant bearer of this surname was Sir William Roache (1673-1735), a successful merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1708-1709. He was also a Member of Parliament for the City of London from 1713 to 1722.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Roache family was well-established in Cheshire and Lancashire, with several members holding prominent positions in local government and society. One such individual was John Roache (1693-1768), a wealthy landowner and Justice of the Peace in Cheshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roache families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roache surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 66 Roaches recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.07x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 66 3.07x
Middlesex 21 1.16x
Surrey 16 1.81x
Lanarkshire 13 2.22x
Yorkshire 13 0.72x
Glamorgan 10 3.17x
Kent 7 1.13x
Staffordshire 6 0.98x
Gloucestershire 5 1.41x
Cheshire 4 1.00x
Devon 4 1.06x
Hampshire 4 1.08x
Cumberland 3 1.92x
Sussex 3 0.98x
Northamptonshire 2 1.17x
Royal Navy 2 9.25x
Warwickshire 2 0.44x
Ayrshire 1 0.74x
Denbighshire 1 1.46x
Northumberland 1 0.37x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.41x
Renfrewshire 1 0.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 24 Roaches recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.36x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 24 18.36x
Everton 20 29.15x
Glasgow 13 12.48x
Leeds 11 10.84x
Leckwith 8 1081.08x
Spitalfields London 7 51.28x
Lambeth 6 3.79x
Walton On Hill 6 51.46x
Battersea 5 7.49x
Cheltenham 5 18.21x
Kirkdale 5 13.81x
Plumstead 5 24.24x
Ashton On Mersey 4 193.24x
Wolverhampton 4 8.49x
Chiswick 3 30.27x
Cleator 3 46.15x
Croydon 3 6.11x
Preston 3 5.21x
St Marylebone London 3 3.10x
Aldershot 2 16.05x
Birmingham 2 1.31x
Broadwater 2 28.49x
East Haddon 2 425.53x
Hammerwich 2 229.89x
Hoyland Nether 2 45.35x
Kensington London 2 1.98x
Merthyr Tydfil 2 6.59x
Royal Navy 2 10.82x
Barnstaple 1 16.86x
Berwick Upon Tweed 1 17.48x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 5.85x
Bromley London 1 2.51x
Clapham 1 4.41x
Crumpsall 1 19.72x
Devonport 1 23.04x
Girvan 1 29.33x
Hackney London 1 0.98x
Hammersmith London 1 2.24x
Henllan 1 57.14x
Hulme 1 2.23x
Maidstone 1 5.42x
Middle Greenock 1 26.04x
Much Woolton 1 34.25x
Newton 1 6.03x
Newton In Makerfield 1 15.17x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.58x
Pennington In Leigh 1 24.21x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 3.44x
Poplar London 1 2.92x
Portsea 1 1.37x
Salford 1 1.58x
Southampton St Mary 1 4.28x
St Andrew Holborn 1 16.26x
St George Bloomsbury 1 9.61x
Steyning 1 96.15x
Stoke Damerel 1 3.78x
Thames Ditton 1 54.35x
Woolwich 1 4.37x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Roache surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 14
Ellen 7
Margaret 6
Sarah 6
Annie 4
Bridget 4
Ann 3
Elizabeth 3
Alice 2
Catherine 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Louisa 2
Amstessa 1
Anne 1
Barbara 1
Bedelia 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Cathne. 1
Cecilea 1
Charlotte 1
Delia 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Linda 1
Maria 1
Mildred 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1
Ophelia 1
Ruth 1
Tresa 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Roache surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 13
Patrick 10
William 9
James 8
Thomas 7
Charles 3
David 3
Henry 3
Michael 3
Francis 2
Joseph 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Arthur 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
George 1
Hughe 1
Mark 1
Maurice 1
Miles 1
Morris 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Simeon 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1
Vincent 1

FAQ

Roache surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roache surname in 1881?

In 1881, 184 people were recorded with the Roache surname. That placed it at #13,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roache surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 483 in 2016. That gives Roache a modern rank of #10,240.

What does the Roache surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "roche", meaning a rocky outcrop or crag.

What does the Roache map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Roache bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.