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

Roachford, 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 Roachford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Roachford in America

Roachford is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Roachford surname appeared 104 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Roachford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Roachford 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 Roachford

The surname Roachford is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "roc," meaning "rock," and "ford," referring to a shallow river crossing. This suggests that the name likely originated as a place name for a location with a rocky ford or shallow crossing over a river.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Roachford can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in this historical manuscript, indicating its existence in England during the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, there are records of a Roger de Rocheford, who was a nobleman and landowner in the county of Essex. This spelling variation of the surname further supports its English origins and its potential connection to a specific place name.

During the 16th century, a notable person with the surname Roachford was John Roachford, who was born in 1523 and served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Thetford in Norfolk. He played a role in the political and parliamentary affairs of the time.

Another individual of historical significance was Sir Henry Roachford (1598-1671), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for the county of Northamptonshire during the reign of King Charles I.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure with the surname Roachford was William Roachford (1709-1788), who was a wealthy merchant and ship owner based in the port city of Bristol. He was involved in the trans-Atlantic trade and played a significant role in the city's maritime economy.

Moving into the 19th century, a notable person with the surname Roachford was Sir Edward Roachford (1812-1891), who was a respected lawyer and judge in London. He served as a Judge of the High Court of Admiralty and played a crucial role in maritime law cases during his career.

Throughout its history, the surname Roachford has maintained its English roots and has been associated with various individuals of note, particularly in the fields of politics, law, and business. Its origins as a place name derived from Old English words suggest a connection to the geography and landscape of medieval England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Roachford

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

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

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

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