NFLD-LAB-L Archives

From: Lloyd Rowsell <>
Subject: 1964-2004...Newfoundland Surnames: COISH, COKE, KOCH, ROACH and ROCHE "(from the files of lghr)"......
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 10:24:39 -0700 (PDT)

"(from the files of lghr)"

1964-2004...Newfoundland Surnames: COISH, COKE, KOCH, ROACH and
ROCHE

Yesterday at the RNC in NYC the sister of Pres. GEORGE WALKER BUSH
was introduced by her married surname BUSH-KOCH. To my
enlightened ear, the announcer pronounced KOCH as a Newfoundlander
would pronounce the surname COOK.

A few years ago I worked with a person who carried the name BRYAN
KOCH. He pronounced his surname as COKE or Koke.

I remember a NYC mayor named EDWARD KOCH. His surname was
sometimes pronounced in a sound similar to the Newfoundland
surname spelled COISH. Before 1966, while living in
Newfoundland, I may have pronounced the word KOCH as the sound for
the surname now spelled as COISH.

A few days ago, during a visit with Dublin born friends, we were
discussing the places on our local map named:
(a) ROCHE Cove, on Vancouver and Quadra's Island, Canada and
(b) ROCHE Harbour, on San Juan Island in the USA
Both friends, George and Cathlene pronounced the name ROCHE as a
Newfoundlander might today pronounce the surname ROACH.

In the Vancouver Maritime Museum sits a wooden hull vessel which
once sailed through the Northwest passage. She is named "St.
ROCHE". I have heard this ship's name pronounced as 'St. ROCK'.
http://gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk/scotia/vserm/vserm010402.htm

Since there was no record of the letter 'h' in the early Irish
(Gaelic) language, today I wonder when this ofter 'mispronounced
or not pronounced in NL' letter of Newfoundland language first
became part of Irish NL surnames such as:
CAHILL
O'FLAHERTY and
ROACH


=====
In 1960, a modern historian, Sir Keith FEILING, placed him among the six wisest men of his age. Than HAKLUYT, he said, 'No more honest or thorough editer ever lived....If true research is toil dedicated to a worthy object, no greater researcher ever lived, for there were no bounds to his buring and relevant energy. These are not the first and last compliments HAKLUYT received or deserved. The greatest he can be offered is that his works shall continue to be read.



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This thread:

• 1964-2004...Newfoundland Surnames: COISH, COKE, KOCH, ROACH and ROCHE "(from the files of lghr)"...... by Lloyd Rowsell <>