Meaning and Origin
What does the name Rochester mean? Keep reading to find the user submitted meanings, dictionary definitions, and more.
User Submitted Origins
- A town in southeast Minnesota
- A city in western New York; a center of the photographic equipment industry
The Roman name for Rochester was Durobrivae which has two possible origins. It may refer to "fort by the bridge", but which fort (British, Claudian Roman or later fortification after AD 175) is a matter of debate. alternatively the name may come from the British word Dourbruf meaning "swift stream".
The name is recorded as Durobrivis in around 730 and Dorobrevis in 844. The first of these was pronounced as "Robrivis". St Bede the Venerable copied down the name, c730, mistaking its meaning as "Hrofi's fortified camp" (OE Hrofes cæster). From this comes c730 Hrofæscæstre, 811 Hrofescester, 1086 Rovescester, 1610 Rochester.
The Latinised adjective Roffensis refers to Rochester.
- A town in Victoria, Australia.
- A hamlet in Alberta, Canada.
- A town and historic city in Medway borough, Kent, England (OS grid ref TQ7468).
- A small village in Northumberland, England (OS grid ref NY8398).
- A village in Sangamon County, Illinois.
- A city, the county seat of Fulton County, Indiana.
- An unincorporated community and census-designated place in Rochester Township, Cedar County, Iowa.
- A tiny home rule city in Butler County, Kentucky.
- A town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
- A city in Oakland County, Michigan; suburb of Detroit.
- A large city, the county seat of Olmsted County, Minnesota.
- An unincorporated community in Andrew County, Missouri.
- A ghost town in Pershing County, Nevada.
- A city in Strafford County, New Hampshire.
- A large city, the county seat of Monroe County, New York.
- A town in Ulster County, New York.
- A village in Lorain County, Ohio.
- An unincorporated community in Noble County, Ohio.
- A borough of Beaver County, Pennsylvania.
- A small town in Haskell County, Texas.
- A town in Windsor County, Vermont.
- A census-designated place in Thurston County, Washington.
- A village in Racine County, Wisconsin.
- A British surname..