Rockester History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

In ancient Anglo Saxon England, the Rockester family lived in the region of Rochester in Kent. Rockester 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 Rockester family

The surname Rockester 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 Rockester family

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

Rockester Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Rockester has appeared include Rochester, Roccester, Wrocester, Wrochester, Register and many more.

Early Notables of the Rockester 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 Rockester Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rockester family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Rockester arrived in North America very early: 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.