Rocha 2227891 220649212 2008-06-20T21:57:27Z Eubot 231599 Hatnote formatting, see [[User:Eubot/Hatnote formatting]] {{for2|other uses|[[Rocha, disambiguation|Rocha]]}} The word '''Rocha''' literally means [[boulder]] in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]. It is also a [[topographical]] surname that is found in [[Portugal]] as "da Rocha" or simply ''Rocha'', literally, "one who is from/of the boulder". The first documented usage of the surname in [[Portugal]] was from a Monsignor de la Roche who arrived in [[Portugal]] on his way to the Holy Land from possibly [[Flanders]] during the reign of [[Afonso III of Portugal]] and assisted in the taking of [[Silves]] from the [[Moors]]. [[Afonso III of Portugal]] granted this gentlemen lands in [[Torres Novas]] and other locales for his services. His descendants used the Portuguese version of the word, 'da Rocha'. Another wave of the Roche family arrived from the Diocese of [[Fermoy]], [[Ireland]] where they were [[viscounts]] during the reign of [[Joao I]]. This family helped with the Portuguese war against [[Crown of Castile|Castile]] and this gentlemen had three sons, Gomes, Louis, and Raymond. It is from D. Gomes da Rocha where the Portuguese version of the name continued onto later generations. According to the "Dicionário das Famílias Portuguesas" (Dictionary of Portuguese Families) by [[D. Luiz de Lancastre e Távora]], Gomes da Rocha was commandante of [[Mosteiro_de_Pombeiro|Pombeiro]], [[Portugal]] and other monasatries in 1482 before becoming bishop of [[Tripoli]] in the middle of the XV century. Another Portuguese author, Felgueiras Gayo, states Gomes was married to a lady by the name of D. Ines de Meneses and after becoming a widow, he became commandante on Pombeiro. It is from this family that the current coat-of-arms bearing 'da Rocha' families of [[Portugal]] are said to be descended from. '''Rocha''' is also a famous variety of [[pear]] from Portugal - [[Pêra Rocha]] (Rocha pear"). ==External links== *[http://www3.sympatico.ca/jfroache/addR.html Roche/Roache Family History] [[Category: Portuguese surnames]] [[de:Rocha]] [[es:Rocha]] [[fr:Rocha (ville)]] [[gl:Rocha]] [[pt:Rocha (Uruguay)]]