2000
#8,766
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,446
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.28
Rare Last name
Rochelle
A French locational surname referring to someone from the town of La Rochelle in western France.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,729 Americans carry the last name Rochelle. That puts it at #9,557 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 91,916 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rochelle 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Rochelle with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.7K
1 in 91,916
Census rank
#9,557
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,252 bearers of the surname Rochelle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9557th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rochelle, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.2%. The next largest groups are Black (25.8%) and Hispanic (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rochelle
The surname Rochelle originates from the French city of La Rochelle, located in the western part of France. The name itself dates back to the 11th century and is derived from the Old French word "roche," meaning "rock" or "rocky place."
La Rochelle was an important port city during the medieval period, known for its strategic location and fortified defenses. The city's name was often recorded in various historical documents, such as the Pipe Rolls of England from the late 12th century, which mentions individuals with the surname Rochelle.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Robert de Rochelle, a merchant from La Rochelle who lived in the late 13th century. He was mentioned in several trade records and business transactions, indicating the commercial significance of the city during that time.
Another notable figure was Jean de Rochelle, a French soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) and was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield.
In England, the surname Rochelle can be traced back to the 13th century, when it was likely introduced by Norman-French settlers. One of the earliest records of the name in English history is found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1277, which mentions a John de Rochelle.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname became more widespread in England, as evidenced by its appearance in various parish records and historical documents. One notable individual was Sir John Rochelle (1540-1609), an English politician and Member of Parliament.
In the United States, the surname Rochelle has been present since the early colonial period, with some of the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 17th century. One of the first documented individuals with this surname was Pierre Rochelle (1625-1685), a French Huguenot who settled in New York.
Another notable figure in American history was Edmond Rochelle (1792-1862), a prominent lawyer and politician from South Carolina, who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.
Throughout history, the surname Rochelle has also been associated with several notable artists, writers, and intellectuals, such as the French philosopher and writer, Raymond Rochelle (1889-1962), and the American painter, Elizabeth Rochelle (1892-1973).
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rochelle
Among Census respondents with the surname Rochelle, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.2%. The next largest groups are Black (25.8%) and Hispanic (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Rochelle 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 Rochelle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White63.2% · 2,056
- Black or African American25.8% · 838
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 149
- Two or more races4.4% · 142
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 39
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 28
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rochelle
Rochelle 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
#9,181
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,553
+107 bearers (+3.1%)
Per 100,000 1.20
Rank movement Down 415 places
2020
#9,557
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,252
-301 bearers (-8.5%)
Per 100,000 1.09
Rank movement Down 376 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,766 | 3,446 | 1.28 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,181 | 3,553 | 1.20 | +107 bearers (+3.1%) | Down 415 places |
| 2020 | #9,557 | 3,252 | 1.09 | -301 bearers (-8.5%) | Down 376 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 Rochelle 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 | #9,181 | #9,557 | -4.1% |
| Count | 3,553 | 3,252 | -8.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.20 | 1.09 | -9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rochelle bearers went from 3,553 to 3,252 (-8.5% change). The surname moved down 376 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,181 to #9,557.
FAQ
Rochelle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rochelle?
Name Census estimates that about 3,729 living Americans carry the surname Rochelle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 91,916 residents.
How common is Rochelle?
Rochelle ranks #9,557 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.09 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,252 people with the surname Rochelle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,729), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.09 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Rochelle.
Has Rochelle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rochelle went from 3,553 recorded bearers to 3,252. That is a decrease of 301 (-8.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,181 to #9,557.
What does the Census say about the background of Rochelle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rochelle, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.2%. The next largest groups are Black (25.8%) and Hispanic (4.6%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rochelle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.2% (2,056 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rochelle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (63.2%), Black (25.8%), Hispanic (4.6%). 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 Rochelle (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 Rochelle mean?
A French locational surname referring to someone from the town of La Rochelle in western France. 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 Rochelle (1.09 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 Americans have the surname Rochelle?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.