View source for Rocha (surname)

'''Rocha''' ({{IPA|pt|'ʁɔʃɐ}}) is a [[Portuguese language]] surname. It literally means “[[rock (geology)|rock]]” or “[[boulder]]” in Portuguese; for instance, “rochas sedimentares, metamórficas e magmáticas” means “sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks”. It is also a [[Toponymic surname|topographic surname]] that is found in [[Portugal]] as “da Rocha” or simply ''Rocha'', literally, "one who is from/of the rock". It could also be a [[Spanish and Portuguese Jews|Jewish-Portuguese]] [[Sephardi Jews|Sephardic]] surname.<ref>Sephardic Genealogy: Discovering your Sephardic Ancestors and their World - Jeffrey S. Malka. - Best Judaica Reference Book (2002) by Association of Jewish Libraries;
http://www.sephardicgen.com/ -  Most complete reference of Sephardic names online;
http://www.sephardicgen.com/databases/SephardimCom2009.htm -  List of 41,000 Sephardic Surnames extracted from books  by Harry Stein Archived version
</ref><ref>Jorge Martins (2006), ''Portugal e os Judeus: Volume I – dos primórdios da nacionalidade à legislação pombalina'', Lisboa, Vega.</ref>
==People with the surname==
*[[Alvany Rocha]], mathematician
*[[André Rocha (athlete)]] (born 1977), Brazilian para-athlete
*[[Antônio Cavilhas Rocha]], Brazilian chess master
*[[Carlos Eduardo Rocha]], mixed martial artist
*[[Chuck Rocha]], US political strategist
*[[Coco Rocha]] (born 1988), Canadian supermodel
*[[Dardo Rocha]], an Argentine 19th-century politician
*[[Diogo Rocha (tennis)]], Portuguese tennis player
*[[Elian Rocha]] (born 2000), Brazilian curler
*[[Evaristo Rocha]], President of Nicaragua in 1839
*[[Geraldo Rocha Pereira]], Brazilian footballer
*[[Glauber Rocha]], Brazilian filmmaker
*[[John Rocha]], Hong Kong born fashion designer
*[[Alicia de Larrocha]], pianist
*[[Juan Ramon Rocha]], Argentine footballer-manager and former Panathinaikos FC player
*[[Kali Rocha]], American actress
*[[Laci Peterson]], American woman who disappeared whose maiden name was Rocha
*[[Luis M. Rocha]], Portuguese-American scientist
*[[Manuel Rocha]], Colombian-American diplomat and Cuban agent
*[[Martha Rocha]] (1932–2020), Brazilian model
*[[Red Rocha]] (1923–2010), American basketball player and coach
*[[Ricardo Rocha (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Paulo Rocha (disambiguation)]], multiple people
*[[Roberto Carlos (footballer)|Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha]] (born 1973), a Brazilian footballer more commonly known as Roberto Carlos
*[[Simone Rocha]], an Irish fashion designer
*[[Vagner Rocha]], mixed martial artist
*[[Zack de la Rocha]], lead singer of the band [[Rage Against the Machine]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{surname|Rocha}}
[[Category:Portuguese-language surnames]]
[[Category:Surnames of Sephardic origin]]