From Rochelle in the Côtentin. “In 1130 Humfrid de Rochella had lands in Dorset; in 1165 we find William de Rochelle in Essex (Rot. Pip. Lib. Niger). The former witnessed the charter of William de Mandeville, Earl of Essex, founding Walden Abbey” (Mon. i. 460). - The Norman People. South-Okendon, or Wokyndon, in Essex, took its name of Rokele from its ancient owners. The above-mentioned William held it in the reign of Henry II. of Hugh de Eu, under Geoffrey de Mandeville: “in some deeds he is styled William de Eu. Probably he married a daughter of Hugh, and so came into this manor. The capital Seat was a stately one, not far from the Church, on the right hand side of the road leading to Warley and Burntwood.” - Morant's Essex. He was succeeded by Sir Richard de la Rokele, at whose death in 1222, the manor was confirmed to his son, to be held by knight’s service of Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford. There were only two more heirs; the last, Philip, died in 1295, leaving two daughters and coheirs, Maud and Isolda. Maud was married to Lord Grey; and “Isolda brought Wokyndon Rokele in marriage to Sir William de Brune, of the Bed-Chamber to King Ed. I., who was so much in favour with that Prince, that he gave him the Manor of Beckingham in Kent: And his wife, Isolda, who was Lady of the Bed-Chamber to Queen Alianor, obtained also from her several lordships.” - Ibid. The arms of Rokele were Lozengy, Gules; whereas the De la Rochelles of Normandy (according to Drouet-Darcq’s Armorial de la France) in 1360 bore two bends Argent with seven escallops.

The name is found in several other counties. Grangevilles Rockells, in Norfolk, was granted in the thirteenth century by Sir Richard de Rokele (perhaps the same who was seated in Essex) to Reginald de Kareville, as the marriage portion of his daughter Alice. - Blomfield. Richard de la Rokele, joint Lord of Flitcham-cum-Appleton, Oulton, and Walton, was knight of the shire in 1311 and 1314; and Godfrey de la Rokele held at Colney, Tibbenham, and Aslacton, in the same county in 1316. Besides these, I find mentioned in Palgrave's Parliamentary Writs, Humphrey de la Rochelle, of Frilsham and Marsham, Berkshire; Robert de la Rokele of Astwood in Buckinghamshire, Martin de la Rokele, one of the Justices appointed in that county in 1309; and John de la Rokele, of Holland in Yorkshire, one of the “Fideles”of Ireland, who received a writ of military summons in 1322. Another Essex manor, Coggeshall Rokells, bore their name.

A Norman name: Rocheville; a local name