GEN-MEDIEVAL-L Archives

From: Jim Roache <>
Subject: Roch - Pembroke (shire)
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 1997 17:19:44 -0400

The experts have it that de la Roche has spawned many variations of the
Franco-Norman name originating in Normandy. But most of the Irish Roches
originate with Godebert (Gobert) of Flanders of Roch Parish (Roch
Castle) in Pembrokshire, Wales.

His sons Richard (a knight) and Robert fitzGodebert, or more correctly,
Robert's sons, seem to have taken the name de Roch (de Rupe -- Latin; de
Roiste or Roistigh -- Irish) in Ireland after the Cambro-Norman Invasion
in the 12th century...supposedly after their place of origin in Wales.

The name was later Anglecized to Roach(e) in some instances, although
Roche seems to predominate now in Ireland. The question is, why not
Gobert after the old man or Carrig after the Irish word for any
connotation with rock????

I am beginning to think that the name simply became confused and merged
into Roche -- the Norman French de la Roche -- remembering that Godebert
was a Flemish Norman...not Frankish. Flanders is north of Normandy and
they might well have spoken Dutch or a Dutch dialect (Flemish) rather
than Old French and may have been different in other ways as well.

This would make the Irish Roches of different stock and pedigree than
the English or Norman French families of the name or variations thereof,
ergo the knight William and the Churchman Peter de la Roche may be quite
a different lot than the Roches of Fermoy, Shelmalier, Kilkenny and
Wexford -- YOLA), etc. Thoughts anyone????

Jim Roache
Ottawa, Canada

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• Roch - Pembroke (shire) by Jim Roache <>