Find out how popular the last name LaRoche is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named LaRoche.

LaRoche, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the LaRoche surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of LaRoche in America

LaRoche is the 6104th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The LaRoche surname appeared 5,618 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname LaRoche.

We can also compare 2010 data for LaRoche to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name LaRoche

The surname LAROCHE originated in France in the medieval period. It is a toponymic name derived from the French words "la roche", which translate to "the rock" or "the rocky place". The name likely referred to someone who lived near a rocky outcrop or a prominent rock formation.

In the early Middle Ages, surnames were often derived from topographic features or locations associated with a person's place of residence or origin. The name LAROCHE can be traced back to various regions of France, particularly in the northern and central parts of the country.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LAROCHE appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in England. The entry mentions a landowner named Radulfus de Roca or Raoul de la Roche.

The LAROCHE surname has several variations in spelling throughout history, including La Roche, De la Roche, Delaroche, and Larouche. These variations often reflect regional dialects or linguistic influences of the time.

Notable individuals with the surname LAROCHE include:

1. Jean-Baptiste de La Roche (1668-1742), a French explorer and navigator who led expeditions to the Canadian Arctic in the early 18th century.

2. Paul de La Roche (1579-1637), a French Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Grenoble from 1607 to 1637.

3. Sophie de La Roche (1730-1807), a German novelist and playwright who was one of the pioneers of the epistolary novel genre.

4. Émile de La Roche (1845-1917), a French painter and illustrator known for his historical and military scenes.

5. Paul-Henri-Benjamin d'Estournelles de Constant, Baron de La Roche-Constant (1752-1824), a French diplomat and politician who served as a deputy in the Estates-General and the National Convention during the French Revolution.

The LAROCHE name has also been associated with various place names throughout France, such as La Roche-sur-Yon, La Roche-Posay, and La Roche-sur-Foron, further reflecting its geographic origins and connections.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name LaRoche

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname LaRoche.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for LaRoche was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of LaRoche has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name LaRoche was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of LaRoche, please contact us.

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