NameCensus.

UK surname

Rochester

A locational surname referring to a person from Rochester, a city in Kent, England, or other places named Rochester.

In the 1881 census there were 784 people recorded with the Rochester surname, ranking it #4,738 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,520, ranked #4,070, up from #4,738 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead and Laver, High. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rochester is 1,591 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 93.9%.

1881 census count

784

Ranked #4,738

Modern count

1,520

2016, ranked #4,070

Peak year

2010

1,591 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rochester had 784 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,738 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,520 in 2016, ranked #4,070.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,094 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Rochester surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rochester surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rochester 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 496 #5,039
1861 historical 579 #4,555
1881 historical 784 #4,738
1891 historical 884 #4,658
1901 historical 988 #4,810
1911 historical 1,094 #4,240
1997 modern 1,385 #4,176
1998 modern 1,467 #4,126
1999 modern 1,506 #4,067
2000 modern 1,463 #4,140
2001 modern 1,446 #4,108
2002 modern 1,488 #4,098
2003 modern 1,422 #4,166
2004 modern 1,462 #4,081
2005 modern 1,462 #4,046
2006 modern 1,470 #4,036
2007 modern 1,485 #4,037
2008 modern 1,478 #4,084
2009 modern 1,554 #3,983
2010 modern 1,591 #3,973
2011 modern 1,561 #4,004
2012 modern 1,496 #4,099
2013 modern 1,533 #4,073
2014 modern 1,542 #4,081
2015 modern 1,525 #4,077
2016 modern 1,520 #4,070

Geography

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Where Rochesters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead, Laver, High, Seaham and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham and Northumberland. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Laver, High Essex
4 Seaham Durham
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 017 County Durham
2 County Durham 016 County Durham
3 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
4 County Durham 039 County Durham
5 Northumberland 007 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rochester

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rochester

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Rochester surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Rochester household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Rochester is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rochester 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

Rochester falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rochester is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Rochester

The surname Rochester has its origins in England, where it is derived from the place name Rochester, a city in Kent. The name Rochester itself is believed to come from the Old English words "hróc" meaning "brook" and "ceaster" meaning "Roman town or camp," referring to the city's location on the River Medway.

Rochester is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, which records the city as "Rovecestre" and "Rovecestre." This indicates that the surname was likely in use by the late 11th century or shortly after, as surnames derived from place names became more common during this period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Rochester is in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1195, which mention a Robertus de Rovecestre. This suggests that the surname had already been adopted by some families by the late 12th century.

Notable historical figures with the surname Rochester include John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester (1647-1680), an English poet and courtier known for his satirical and libertine writings. Another is Nathaniel Rochester (1752-1831), an American settler and founder of the city of Rochester, New York.

In the 16th century, the surname was sometimes spelled as "Rowchester" or "Rouchester," reflecting the various ways the place name was pronounced and written over time. The 17th century saw the rise of the "Rochester" spelling, which became the predominant form.

Other noteworthy individuals with the surname Rochester include Thomas Rochester (1588-1646), an English clergyman and writer, and John Rochester (1647-1696), an English Baptist minister and author.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rochester families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rochester 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. Northumberland leads with 234 Rochesters recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.56x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 234 20.56x
Durham 187 8.22x
Middlesex 82 1.07x
Essex 76 5.03x
Yorkshire 45 0.59x
Surrey 33 0.89x
Kent 25 0.96x
Hertfordshire 18 3.41x
Sussex 17 1.32x
Suffolk 13 1.40x
Wiltshire 10 1.48x
Bedfordshire 9 2.27x
Cheshire 6 0.36x
Cumberland 6 0.91x
Ayrshire 5 0.87x
Staffordshire 5 0.19x
Dorset 2 0.40x
Hampshire 2 0.13x
Shropshire 2 0.30x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.12x
Renfrewshire 1 0.17x
Shetland 1 1.28x
Somerset 1 0.08x
Warwickshire 1 0.05x
Wigtownshire 1 0.98x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gateshead in Durham leads with 40 Rochesters recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.48x.

Place Total Index
Gateshead 40 23.48x
Bishopwearmouth 36 18.43x
Seaham 31 373.94x
Darlington 25 28.46x
Hackney London 21 4.90x
Tynemouth 19 31.18x
West Ham 19 5.70x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 18 26.49x
Mile End Old Town 15 12.43x
High Laver 14 1120.00x
Jesmond 14 87.45x
Sawbridgeworth 13 162.91x
Winlaton 12 54.97x
Islington London 11 1.48x
Lambeth 11 1.65x
York St Mary 11 35.04x
Alnmouth 10 714.29x
Chirton 10 38.84x
Bedford St Paul 9 33.14x
Chipstead 9 532.54x
Roydon 9 405.41x
Ryton 9 112.50x
Stratton St Margaret 9 86.79x
Wallsend 9 24.94x
Brighton 8 3.08x
Chingford 8 219.78x
Ealing 8 11.70x
Mason 8 307.69x
Abberwick 7 2413.79x
Bolton 7 1944.44x
Erith 7 27.23x
Felton 7 393.26x
Richmond 7 13.40x
Shotley Low Quarter 7 482.76x
Ballingdon Cum Brundon 6 314.14x
Dukinfield 6 7.69x
Elloughton Cum Brough 6 257.51x
Elswick 6 6.61x
Gate Fulford 6 33.90x
Stamfordham 6 845.07x
Sudbury St Gregory 6 80.32x
Westgate 6 8.51x
Whitehaven 6 17.09x
Lamesley 5 40.82x
Morpeth 5 37.37x
Newton Cap 5 141.64x
Preston Next Faversham 5 81.57x
Sudbury All Sts 5 176.06x
Welton 5 3571.43x
Whittingham 5 367.65x
Wolstanton Chesterton 5 37.91x
York All Sts North 5 133.33x
Ayr 4 14.81x
Byker 4 7.11x
Crawcrook 4 338.98x
Great Whittington 4 701.75x
Newton 4 1000.00x
North Weald Bassett 4 152.67x
Seaton Delaval 4 40.04x
St Marylebone London 4 0.98x
Theydon Garnon 4 115.94x
Tonbridge 4 4.25x
Twizell In Castle Ward 4 5000.00x
York St Andrew 4 540.54x
York St George 4 67.00x
Burradon In Tynemouth 3 103.09x
Dinnington 3 500.00x
East Matfen 3 789.47x
Enfield 3 5.98x
Halifax 3 2.70x
Helmington Row 3 28.30x
Laughton 3 158.73x
Longbenton 3 6.22x
Rotherfield 3 26.43x
Shilvington 3 1500.00x
St George Hanover 3 3.01x
St George In East 3 5.77x
St Pancras London 3 0.49x
West Brunton 3 1071.43x
West Chevington 3 227.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 64
Elizabeth 31
Jane 28
Margaret 22
Sarah 18
Isabella 15
Ann 13
Alice 11
Eliza 11
Hannah 10
Ada 9
Caroline 9
Annie 7
Catherine 7
Emma 7
Ellen 6
Emily 6
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Grace 4
Harriet 4
Anne 3
Barbara 3
Dorothy 3
Eleanor 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Matilda 3
Beatrice 2
Elizth. 2
Ellenor 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Louisa 2
Margret 2
Margt. 2
Martha 2
Maryann 2
Rebecca 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Betsy 1
Elizath. 1
Elizh. 1
Elizibeth 1
Henrietta 1
Isabell 1
Thomasina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 52
George 46
Thomas 36
William 34
Robert 26
James 22
Henry 20
Charles 15
Joseph 14
Edward 12
Richard 8
Wm. 6
Arthur 5
Albert 4
David 4
Frederick 4
Walter 4
Allan 3
Anthony 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Ralph 3
Samuel 3
Shield 3
Alfred 2
Chas. 2
Frederic 2
Herbert 2
Matthew 2
Earnest 1
Ed. 1
Elizabeth 1
Geo.Ed. 1
Henry.J. 1
Hesekiah 1
Hugh 1
Ino 1
Isaac 1
Jack 1
Jacob 1
Jonathon 1
Joshua 1
Kenneth 1
Mark 1
Michael 1
Pattison 1
Reginald 1
Reuben 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1

FAQ

Rochester surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rochester surname in 1881?

In 1881, 784 people were recorded with the Rochester surname. That placed it at #4,738 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rochester surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,520 in 2016. That gives Rochester a modern rank of #4,070.

What does the Rochester surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a person from Rochester, a city in Kent, England, or other places named Rochester.

What does the Rochester map show?

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