Rokeach last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Rokeach

Derived from Rokytnica, a town name referring to a willow grove.

Rokeach, 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 Rokeach surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rokeach in America

Rokeach is the 132206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rokeach surname appeared 128 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 Rokeach.

The history of the last name Rokeach

The surname ROKEACH is of Jewish origin, specifically from the Yiddish language. It is believed to have originated in Eastern Europe, most likely in the areas that are now Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus. The name is derived from the Yiddish word "rokhe," which means "perfume" or "fragrance."

The earliest recorded instances of the ROKEACH surname date back to the late 16th century, when it appeared in various Jewish community records and documents in Eastern Europe. It is possible that the name was initially a descriptive surname, given to individuals involved in the trade or production of fragrances or perfumes.

One of the earliest notable figures with the ROKEACH surname was Rabbi Elazar Rokach, a prominent Jewish scholar and author who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was born in Worms, Germany, and wrote several influential works on Jewish law and theology.

In the 18th century, the ROKEACH surname was found in various Jewish communities throughout Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland and Ukraine. One notable figure from this period was Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Rokeach, who lived from 1779 to 1855 and served as the Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Hasidic dynasty in Belz, Ukraine.

Another significant figure with the ROKEACH surname was Rabbi Yisroel Meir HaKohen Rokeach, who lived from 1825 to 1900. He was a renowned Talmudic scholar and the founder of the Hasidic dynasty in Bełżyce, Poland (now part of Ukraine).

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the ROKEACH surname spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, as many Jews emigrated from Eastern Europe to escape persecution and economic hardship. One notable figure from this period was Shlomo Rokeach, a Jewish educator and writer who lived from 1860 to 1941 and was active in the Jewish community in New York City.

Another prominent individual with the ROKEACH surname was Milton Rokeach, an American psychologist and social psychologist who lived from 1918 to 1988. He is known for his work on human values, belief systems, and cognitive dissonance theory.

In summary, the surname ROKEACH has its origins in the Yiddish language and is believed to have originated in Eastern Europe among Jewish communities. It has a long history, with notable figures spanning from the 16th century to the present day, and has been carried by individuals in various fields, including religion, education, and academia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rokeach

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

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 Rokeach was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only95.31%122
Non-Hispanic Black Only0.00%0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races(S)%(S)
Hispanic Origin(S)%(S)

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.

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

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

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