Rochefort
A French surname referring to someone from the rocky fortification.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,028 Americans carry the last name Rochefort. That puts it at #27,228 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.30 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 333,419 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rochefort surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
1.0K
1 in 333,419
Census rank
#27,228
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
888
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 888 bearers of the surname Rochefort in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.30 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 27228th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rochefort, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rochefort
The surname Rochefort originated in France and can be traced back to the 11th century. It is a locational name derived from one of several places in France called Rochefort, meaning "rocky ford" or "rock fortress" in French. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a rocky river crossing or a fortified settlement built on a rocky outcrop.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Rochefort can be found in medieval documents from the regions of Poitou and Normandy in northwestern France. It appears in the Cartulary of the Abbey of Fontenay in Poitou as early as 1095, with references to individuals like Gaufridus de Rochafort and Robertus de Rochafort.
In the 12th century, the name is mentioned in the famous Chronicles of Gervase of Canterbury, where a certain William de Rochefort is recorded as being present at the coronation of King Richard I in 1189. This suggests that the Rochefort family had gained some prominence by this time.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appears in various records and manuscripts across France, including the Rolls of the Parlement of Paris and the Trésor des Chartes. Notable individuals from this period include Guillaume de Rochefort (c. 1225-1292), a French nobleman and crusader who participated in the Seventh Crusade, and Hugues de Rochefort (c. 1310-1378), a French chronicler and historian who wrote about the Hundred Years' War.
In the 15th century, the name Rochefort is associated with several prominent figures, such as Jean de Rochefort (c. 1420-1492), a French diplomat and adviser to King Charles VII, and Guillaume de Rochefort (c. 1450-1520), a French military commander who served under King Louis XII.
The 16th and 17th centuries saw the name spread beyond France, with individuals like William Rochefort (c. 1540-1618), an English merchant and explorer who traveled to the Americas, and Henri de Rochefort (c. 1630-1696), a French writer and pamphleteer known for his satirical works criticizing the reign of King Louis XIV.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Rochefort name continued to be associated with notable figures, including Victor Henri de Rochefort (1831-1913), a French journalist and political activist who played a role in the events of the Paris Commune, and Comte Joseph de Rochefort (1761-1832), a French naval officer and explorer who served under Napoleon Bonaparte.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rochefort
Among Census respondents with the surname Rochefort, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Rochefort bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Rochefort surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.0%
- Hispanic or Latino1.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.4%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1%
- Two or more races0.7%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Rochefort surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #26,361 | #27,228 | -3.3% |
| Count | 871 | 888 | 2.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.32 | 0.30 | -6.3% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Rochefort bearers went from 871 to 888 (+2.0% change). The surname moved down 867 positions in the national ranking, going from #26,361 to #27,228.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Rochefort
FAQ
Rochefort surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Rochefort?
The surname Rochefort holds position #27,228 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,028 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.30 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Rochefort surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rochefort, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.