Origin of Surname
The name literally means 'of the rock', but more specifically it became a placename for many fortified summits. The commonest spelling in Normandy and northern France is Delaroque, whereas in southern areas Delaroche is more common.
It is not likely that the Jersey surname was derived from La Rocque on the island's east coast.
Early Records
Robert de la Rocque, or Robertus de Rupe, is mentioned in a close letter of 1214/5 as one of the hostages of Jersey.
There is a record of the name in Normandy in 1250, Johannes de Roqua appearing in the records of Lisieux, and 11 years later there is a reference to la ferme Erneys de la Roque.
The surname appears again in Jersey in the Assize Roll of 1309, with a mention of Raoul de Roke, who was a juror in St Saviour, as was Raoul de la Rocque, perhaps the same man, in the Extente of 1331.
Although Roche and its variants are generally considered in France to be of the same derivation as Rocque and its variants, the de la Rocque and Roche families in Jersey have distinct ancestries.
The Jersey family was influential in the 15th and 16th centuries, giving to the Island a Bailiff and three Jurats. One branch were Seigneurs of Saval.
Variants
- de La Rocque, 1515
- de La Roque, 1331
- de La Rocq 1461
- de Roke
- de La Roke 1309
- de Roka 1299
- Delaroche
- Roche
- Roches
- De La Roche, 1299
- de Roches 1331*
Family records
Family trees
- Descendants of Jean De La Rocque ( -1479)
- Descendants of Jean de La Rocque Added 2016
- Descendants of Mathieu De La Rocque Added 2018
Church records
- De La Rocque baptisms in Jersey
- De La Rocque marriages in Jersey (groom)
- De La Rocque marriages in Jersey (bride)
- De La Rocque burials in Jersey
Family histories and biographies
Family homes
- Maison de La Rocque, St Helier
Tips
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New records
Since August 2020 we have added several thousand new records from the registers of Roman Catholic, Methodist and other non-conformist churches. These will appear in date order within a general search of the records and are also individually searchable within the database search form
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