Rockle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Rockle

What does the name Rockle mean?

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Rockle family name to the British Isles. They lived in either of two locations, one in Buckinghamshire, and one in Somerset. The places were originally called Rockholt, from the elements hroc, meaning rock, and holt meaning wood. However, another source claims the name was derived from a "dweller at, or near, the stony spring or stream." 1

Early Origins of the Rockle family

The surname Rockle was first found in either Buckinghamshire or Somerset where this surname was originally a habitation surname. 2 Today, Rockwell Green is a village near Wellington, in the Taunton Deane district of Somerset and Rockwell End is a hamlet in Buckinghamshire which has been used as a film location for two of the Midsomer Murders series.

Early History of the Rockle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rockle research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1300 and 1324 are included under the topic Early Rockle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rockle Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Rockwell, Rokelle, Rockewell, Rokele, Rokewell and others.

Early Notables of the Rockle family

More information is included under the topic Early Rockle Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rockle family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Rockle or a variant listed above: William, Susannah, Ruth and John Rockwell settled in Nantasket in 1630; Thomas Rockwell settled in Virginia in 1637 along with Mary; Edward Rockwell arrived in San Francisco in 1850.

Sources +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)