Explore the Family Name Laroche
The meaning of Laroche
French: 1. habitational name from any of numerous places in various parts of France named Laroche or La Roche, from Old French roche ‘rock’, with feminine definite article la. 2. variant of the topographic name Roche 2 ‘rock’, with fused feminine definite article la. 3. soldier’s name from la roche ‘the rock’. History: In North America, this surname was originally also a secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name. Some characteristic forenames: French Andre, Armand, Fernand, Normand, Pierre, Jacques, Laurent, Adrien, Cecile, Germain, Marcel.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Laroche in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Laroche has seen a shift in popularity over the years. In 2000, it was ranked as the 5,911th most popular surname, with a population count of 5,361. By 2010, the rank had slightly decreased to 6,104, witnessing a change of -3.27%. However, the number of people holding the surname Laroche increased to 5,618, a growth of 4.79%. The proportion per 100,000 people also experienced a slight decline from 1.99 in 2000 to 1.9 in 2010, marking a decrease of -4.52%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,911 | #6,104 | -3.27% |
| Count | 5,361 | 5,618 | 4.79% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.99 | 1.9 | -4.52% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Laroche
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows a diversified distribution for the surname Laroche. Over the decade, the largest ethnicity associated with the name is White, accounting for 80.10% in 2000 and 77.25% in 2010, experiencing a slight decrease of -3.56%. The Black community saw an increase from 10.93% in 2000 to 12.89% in 2010, marking a change of 17.93%. Hispanic representation also increased from 2.41% to 3.06%, a significant surge of 26.97%. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander grew from 0.47% to 0.57%, and those who identified with two or more races increased from 2.50% to 2.58%. The American Indian and Alaskan Native group showed a minor increase from 3.60% to 3.65% during these ten years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.1% | 77.25% | -3.56% |
| Black | 10.93% | 12.89% | 17.93% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 3.6% | 3.65% | 1.39% |
| Hispanic | 2.41% | 3.06% | 26.97% |
| Two or More Races | 2.5% | 2.58% | 3.2% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.47% | 0.57% | 21.28% |
Laroche ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Laroche is British & Irish, which comprises 35.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (29.6%) and Eastern European (6.3%). Additional ancestries include Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, Scandinavian, Nigerian, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 35.3% |
| French & German | 29.6% |
| Eastern European | 6.3% |
| Other | 28.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Laroche
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Laroche have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 65.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 65.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 65.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 64.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 64.30% |
What Laroche haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Laroche is J-M67, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-M67 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include R-M405 and R-P312, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Porto, Trujillo, Piazza, Godinez, Cota, Vassallo, Mesa, Lavin, Papa, Donato.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Laroche surname are: H1, K1a, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your maternal lineage may be linked to the nomadic Tuareg of the Sahara
Though haplogroup H1 rarely reaches high frequencies beyond western Europe, over 60% of eastern Tuareg in Libya belong to haplogroup H1. The Tuareg call themselves the Imazghan, meaning “free people.” They are an isolated, semi-nomadic people who inhabit the West-Central Sahara and are known today for a distinctive dark blue turban worn by the men, and for their long history as gatekeepers of the desert.How did women carrying H1 make it all the way from western Europe to this isolated community? They likely migrated from Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar into Morocco after the Last Ice Age, where they were assimilated into the Berbers of the Mediterranean coast. Then, about 5,000 years ago, the Sahara shifted from a period of relative habitable conditions to its dramatically arid desert environment. This shift may have caused migrations throughout the Sahara, prompting the ancient Tuaregs to meet and mingle with the Berbers, bringing H1 lineages into their population.
What do people with the surname Laroche have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Laroche" Surname 52.6%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Laroche" Surname 28.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Vitamin Use
Takes vitamins on a regular basis.
"Laroche" Surname 35.7%
23andMe Users 45.5%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Laroche" Surname 19.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Laroche?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Laroche are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition