NameCensus.

UK surname

Rochell

A surname derived from the Old French word "rochelle," meaning "small rock" or "little rock."

In the 1881 census there were 187 people recorded with the Rochell surname, ranking it #13,407 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 146, ranked #24,173, down from #13,407 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Wolstanton and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cannock Chase, Cheshire West and Chester and Gwynedd.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rochell is 203 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 21.9%.

1881 census count

187

Ranked #13,407

Modern count

146

2016, ranked #24,173

Peak year

1911

203 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rochell had 187 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,407 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016, ranked #24,173.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 203 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Rochell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rochell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rochell 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 74 #20,443
1861 historical 85 #22,922
1881 historical 187 #13,407
1891 historical 198 #15,033
1901 historical 162 #17,271
1911 historical 203 #14,831
1997 modern 130 #23,021
1998 modern 128 #23,828
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 133 #23,462
2001 modern 130 #23,457
2002 modern 131 #23,793
2003 modern 130 #23,672
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 121 #24,947
2006 modern 125 #24,611
2007 modern 127 #24,748
2008 modern 130 #24,695
2009 modern 131 #25,056
2010 modern 134 #25,263
2011 modern 141 #24,294
2012 modern 139 #24,485
2013 modern 141 #24,670
2014 modern 143 #24,621
2015 modern 144 #24,369
2016 modern 146 #24,173

Geography

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Where Rochells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Wolstanton, Batley, Colwich (Colwich), Stowe, Colton and Ellenhall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cannock Chase, Cheshire West and Chester, Gwynedd, East Staffordshire and Kirklees. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Colwich (Colwich), Stowe, Colton Staffordshire
5 Ellenhall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cannock Chase 003 Cannock Chase
2 Cheshire West and Chester 007 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Gwynedd 004 Gwynedd
4 East Staffordshire 014 East Staffordshire
5 Kirklees 002 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rochell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rochell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rochell, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Rochell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rochell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Rochell is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Rochell 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

Rochell 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 Rochell 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Rochell

The surname Rochell has its origins traced back to Normandy, France, during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "rochel," meaning "little rock" or "stone," suggesting that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a rocky area or a prominent stone structure.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Rochellius" in this historic manuscript, indicating its presence in England shortly after the Norman Conquest.

The Rochell family likely migrated from Normandy to England during the 11th century, settling in various regions across the country. Over time, the name evolved to its current spelling, with variations such as Rochelle, Rocheill, and Rochel also appearing in historical records.

Notable figures with the surname Rochell include Sir John Rochell (1490-1558), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. Another distinguished individual was Elizabeth Rochell (1615-1684), a Puritan writer and religious scholar whose works greatly influenced the development of Protestant theology in colonial America.

In the 18th century, the name gained recognition through the accomplishments of Charles Rochell (1743-1813), a renowned French botanist and explorer who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the Caribbean and South America.

The Rochell family also left its mark in the realm of literature, with Samuel Rochell (1803-1877), an English poet and playwright whose works were widely acclaimed during the Victorian era.

Across the Atlantic, the name can be traced back to the early settlers of North America, with records indicating that John Rochell (1620-1698) was among the first Rochells to arrive in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the mid-17th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rochell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rochell 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. Staffordshire leads with 114 Rochells recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.51x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 114 18.51x
Shropshire 20 12.69x
Yorkshire 18 1.00x
Middlesex 14 0.77x
Worcestershire 11 4.62x
Warwickshire 6 1.30x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.91x
Flintshire 1 2.04x
Lancashire 1 0.05x
Surrey 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 19 Rochells recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.14x.

Place Total Index
Wolverhampton 19 40.14x
Walsall Foreign 16 50.30x
Dewsbury 11 59.33x
Stoke Upon Trent 10 15.32x
Kidderminster Borough 9 64.56x
West Bromwich 8 22.70x
Burntwood Edial 7 178.12x
Madeley 7 121.11x
Manningham 7 31.43x
Tong 7 2187.50x
Upper Penn 7 454.55x
West Drayton 7 1111.11x
Birmingham 6 3.91x
Cannock 6 55.87x
Hendon 6 91.46x
Colwich 5 342.47x
Lapley 5 1086.96x
Patshull 5 4166.67x
Worfield 5 458.72x
Ellenhall 4 2857.14x
Great Wyrley 4 597.01x
Stone 4 50.76x
Essington 3 370.37x
Dudley 2 6.91x
Stafford St Mary 2 22.94x
Tettenhall 2 53.19x
Bushbury 1 90.09x
Chebsey 1 322.58x
Edmonton 1 6.80x
Lambeth 1 0.63x
Newcastle Under Lyme 1 9.17x
Rhuddlan 1 23.15x
Rushall 1 27.62x
Sheriff Hales 1 158.73x
Tipton 1 5.31x
West Derby 1 1.58x
Whittington 1 79.37x
Willenhall 1 8.67x
Wooburn 1 65.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Emma 8
Harriet 6
Sarah 6
Elizabeth 5
Fanny 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Hannah 3
Agnes 2
Lydia 2
Martha 2
Phoebe 2
Alice 1
Beatrice 1
Blanch 1
Edith 1
Emily 1
Harret 1
Harriett 1
Hellen 1
Jane 1
Johannah 1
Julia 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Rose 1
Rosehannah 1
Sarrah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
Thomas 13
John 11
George 10
James 6
Harry 5
Charles 4
Samuel 4
Alfred 3
David 3
Henry 3
Richard 3
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Peter 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Allan 1
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Grace 1
Jeffry 1
Joseph 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Rochell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rochell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 187 people were recorded with the Rochell surname. That placed it at #13,407 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rochell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016. That gives Rochell a modern rank of #24,173.

What does the Rochell surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "rochelle," meaning "small rock" or "little rock."

What does the Rochell map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rochell 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.