2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Roachford
A residence surname indicating someone living near a rocky ford or crossing.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Roachford. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Roachford surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Roachford in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Roachford, the largest self-reported group is Black at 72.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (20.2%) and White (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Roachford
Among Census respondents with the surname Roachford, the largest self-reported group is Black at 72.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (20.2%) and White (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Roachford bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Roachford surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American72.8% · 83
- Hispanic or Latino20.2% · 23
- White3.5% · 4
- Two or more races3.5% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Roachford
Roachford appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
+3 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,716 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+10 bearers (+9.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,549 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+3.0%) | Down 6,716 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.6%) | Up 9,549 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Roachford surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #156,044 | #146,495 | 6.1% |
| Count | 104 | 114 | 9.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Roachford bearers went from 104 to 114 (+9.6% change). The surname moved up 9,549 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #146,495.
FAQ
Roachford surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Roachford?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Roachford. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Roachford?
Roachford ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 114 people with the surname Roachford. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Roachford.
Has Roachford become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Roachford went from 104 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 10 (+9.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Roachford?
Among Census respondents with the surname Roachford, the largest self-reported group is Black at 72.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (20.2%) and White (3.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Roachford in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.8% (83 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Roachford appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (72.8%), Hispanic (20.2%), White (3.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Roachford (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Roachford mean?
A residence surname indicating someone living near a rocky ford or crossing. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Roachford (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Roachford?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.