Where the La Rocca surname comes from
A rocca is a fortress built on the rock, a castle up high from which the valley was watched. The surname may come from one of the many towns named after a rocca. Or from a family that lived inside or beside a fortress.
The La in front is typical of many surnames of southern Italy, especially Sicilian ones, like La Rosa or Lo Monaco. There were fortresses everywhere, and the surname was born in many places with no common founder.
From the Belice Valley to New York
In 1880 a couple who had left two towns in the province of Trapani arrived in New Orleans. In 1917 their son walked into a New York recording studio and came out with a first. The PDF tells who he was, and what remains of the towns his parents left.
Where the La Roccas live today
La Rocca is a surname of central and southern Italy: there are about 2,800 families in Italy. The largest group lives in Sicily, spread across the whole island, followed by Campania and Lazio. The town where it is strongest is by the sea, in southern Lazio: Sperlonga, in the province of Latina. Outside Italy the largest community is in the United States. The region-by-region map and the countries around the world where the family settled are in the PDF.
Variants
The same fortress gave rise to forms with the article, without it, written as one word or with a preposition. The PDF tells where each one comes from.
| Surname | Where it is concentrated |
|---|---|
| La Rocca | Sicily, Campania, Lazio |
| Rocca | Lombardy, Sicily, Lazio |
| Larocca | Basilicata, Lombardy, Apulia |
| Della Rocca | Campania, Lazio, Apulia |
FAQ
What does the La Rocca surname mean?
It comes from rocca, the fortress built on the rock. It marked someone who came from a town called Rocca, or someone who lived near a fortress.
Is La Rocca a Sicilian surname?
Mostly, but not only. The largest group lives in Sicily. The surname is also strong in Campania and Lazio, where in Sperlonga it is the town’s third most common surname.
Are La Rocca and Larocca the same surname?
They have the same origin. Larocca, written as one word, is a typical surname of Basilicata, from the province of Potenza. In old records the same family can appear written apart or together, so it’s best to search for both forms.
Are La Rocca and Rocca the same surname?
They are the same word, with and without the article. Rocca, without the La, is the more numerous form and is strong both in the North and in Sicily.
Are all La Roccas related?
No. There were fortresses everywhere, and the surname was born in many different places. Two La Rocca families, one from Sicily and one from Lazio, are very likely not related. To rebuild your own family history you need birth records and parish registers.
Is the La Rocca surname noble?
The surname itself doesn’t mean nobility. It was borne mostly by families of farmers, shepherds, fishermen and craftsmen, born near many different fortresses.
Is there a La Rocca family coat of arms?
There is no single coat of arms for all La Roccas. If a noble La Rocca family had its own coat of arms, it was the emblem of that family, in that town and in that century.
