Surname Rouche - Meaning and Origin

Rouche: What does the surname Rouche mean?

The surname Rouche is of French origin and is derived from the Old French word "roche," which means "rock." Thus, it was likely given as a topographic name to someone who lived by a rocky crag or outcrop, or as a nickname to a hardy or brave individual, characteristics symbolically associated with rocks or stones. Over time, with the natural changes in language, the spelling has varied and the name has branched into many variants such as Roche, Rocher, LaRoche, Deroche, and others. Though it is found throughout France, the surname is particularly prevalent in the regions of Lorraine and Bordeaux. Like many surnames, it has also spread to other countries through migration.

Rouche: Where does the name Rouche come from?

The last name Rouche is mainly found throughout France today. It is quite a common name in the region of Aquitaine in the southwest of the country. It has been found to be particularly prevalent in the cities of Toulouse and Bordeaux. It is believed to have originated from the medieval French name ‘Rouch’, which in turn is thought to have derived from the Latin word ‘rogatio’, meaning ‘request’ or ‘petition’.

The name Rouche is also common in Canada, where there is an outlying family in the Lake St. Louis municipality of Quebec. In 2013, the Canadian Gazetteer reported there to be at least 144 people bearing the Rouche surname in Canada, mainly concentrated in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. This reflects the 19th Century wave of French-Canadian emigration out of the lands of former New France.

It is also present outside of the French-speaking world. The Rouche family is found commonly in Brazil, Germany and Italy, the result of an influx of French settlers over the centuries. As more and more people migrate around the globe, Rouche is becoming increasingly popular across the world, with many thousands of people bearing the name today.

Variations of the surname Rouche

The surname Rouche is a French surname, typically found in Brittany. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include:

- Rouché

- Roux

- Rouc

- Rousse

- Rouce

- Ru

- Ruce

- Ruches

- Ruche

- Rouch

- Rouchaux

- Rousch

- Rouchez

- Rousseau

- Roucher

- Roush

- Rouschet

- Rousché

- Roushey

Variants of the Rouche surname outside of France include:

- Rouchie (Scotland)

- Roches (Ireland)

- Ryu (Japan)

- Roussos (Greece)

- Rusz (Poland)

- Roushdy (Lebanon)

- Rozes (Mexico)

- Rush (England)

- Rhuys (Finland)

The most common variant on the Rouche surname outside of France is Rousseau. Common nicknames associated with the Rouche surname include: Rouchey, Rouchie, Rouchieux, and Roucher.

Famous people with the name Rouche

• Claude-Joseph Roucher: French dramatist known for his success in several genres, including opera and comedy.
• Nicolas Trouche: French politician who was president of the Senate from 1839 to 1847.
• Jacques Rouche: 19th century French anatomist best known for his detailed studies of the skeleton.
• Jean-Victor Rouche: 19th century French architect who designed the Grand Théatre de Bordeaux.
• Émile Roucher: 19th century French geographer who wrote a number of scholarly works on the physical geography of France and its colonies.
• Jean Baptiste Roucher: 19th century French sculptor who spent a great deal of time traveling to exotic locales to create ethnographic art.
• Jean-Baptiste-Adrien Rouche: 19th century French military leader who served as the commander of the Imperial Guard in 1814 and 1815.
• Jeanne Rouche: 20th century French artist and sculptor whose work focused on depicting the female body.
• Claudine Rouchette: 20th century French actress who was most known for her leading role in the 1966 French comedy film La Belle Américaine.
• Teddy Ruche: 20th century French music producer, sound designer and composer. He was an extremely successful songwriter and is remembered for creating "La Vie en Rose" and other classic French songs.

Other surnames

RouchRouchin