Wrocester History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

In ancient Anglo Saxon England, the Wrocester family lived in the region of Rochester in Kent. Wrocester is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree.

The variants Register and Rogister are "derived from an official title, 'the registrar,' a recorder from the Middle English registrere," 1 and is generally thought to be variants of the name Rochester. 2 3

Early Origins of the Wrocester family

The surname Wrocester was first found in Kent where the name was first recorded by Bede (c. 730) under the names of Dorubrevi and Hrofoecoestre. The first reference refers to the Briton name that was derived from "duro" meaning "fortress" or "bridge" while the second reference is derived from the Old English word for "roof" 4.

Early Essex records reveal Turoldus (de) Rouecestra recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 5 and Robert Rouchestre listed in the Assize Roll of Essex in 1377. 3

Solomon de Rochester (died 1294) was an English "judge, was a native of Rochester, whence he took his name. His brother Gilbert held the living of Tong in Kent. Solomon took orders, and was apparently employed by Henry III in a legal capacity. In 1274 he was appointed justice in eyre for Middlesex, and in the following year for Worcestershire." 6

Today Rochester is a town in Kent which dates back to before 43 AD, named Durobrivae by the Romans. Rochester Castle stands on grounds that have been fortified since the Roman arrival. The Norman keep that was built in 1127 still stands majestically today. Rochester is also a small village in Northumberland and Staffordshire. "This parish, anciently called Rocetter, or Roucestre, comprises about 2370 acres." 7

Early History of the Wrocester family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wrocester research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1494 and 1557 are included under the topic Early Wrocester History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wrocester Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Wrocester are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Wrocester include: Rochester, Roccester, Wrocester, Wrochester, Register and many more.

Early Notables of the Wrocester family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Robert Rochester (c. 1494-1557), English comptroller of the household to Queen Mary, eldest of the three sons of John Rochester, by his wife...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wrocester Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Wrocester family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Wrocester or a variant listed above: John Rochester settled in Virginia in 1638; Elizabeth Rochester settled in Maryland in 1677.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.