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

LaRochelle, 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 LaRochelle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of LaRochelle in America

LaRochelle is the 12182nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The LaRochelle surname appeared 2,558 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname LaRochelle.

We can also compare 2010 data for LaRochelle 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 LaRochelle

The surname LaRochelle has its origins in France, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the town of La Rochelle, situated in the Charente-Maritime department of western France. The name is believed to have originated from the Gallo-Romance words "la roca," meaning "the rock" or "the rocky place," referring to the town's coastal location along the Bay of Biscay.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LaRochelle can be found in the Cartulaire de Saint-Maixent, a medieval manuscript from the 11th century. This document mentions a certain "Gaufridus de La Rochelle," suggesting that the name was already in use by that time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Trésor des Chartes, a collection of historical documents from the French monarchy. This record mentions a "Petrus de La Rochelle," indicating the surname's continued use and association with the town.

During the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name LaRochelle was Jean de La Rochelle (c. 1315-1377), a French Franciscan friar and theologian. He was born in La Rochelle and became a renowned scholar, authoring several works on philosophy and theology.

In the 16th century, the name gained further recognition with the French Renaissance poet, Rémy Belleau (1528-1577), whose full name was Rémy Belleau de La Rochelle. He was a member of the renowned Pléiade group of poets and contributed significantly to the development of French Renaissance literature.

Another notable figure with the surname LaRochelle was Jean-Baptiste LaRochelle (1710-1782), a French-Canadian Catholic priest and missionary who served in various regions of what is now Quebec and Ontario. He played a significant role in the establishment of several parishes and missions in those areas.

Across the Atlantic, in the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname LaRochelle dates back to the late 18th century. Jacques LaRochelle (1771-1832) was a French-American entrepreneur and merchant who settled in New Orleans, where he established a successful business and became a prominent figure in the city's commercial and social circles.

These are just a few examples of the historical figures who bore the surname LaRochelle, reflecting its French origins and long-standing presence throughout various regions and time periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name LaRochelle

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

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 LaRochelle 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 LaRochelle 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 LaRochelle was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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