Rocha () is a

Portuguese language Portuguese ( or, in full, ) is a western Romance language of the Indo-European language family, originating in the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. It is an official language of Portugal, Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau and ...

surname. It literally means “

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

” or “ boulder” in Portuguese; for instance, “rochas sedimentares, metamórficas e magmáticas” means “sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks”. It is also a

topographic surname A toponymic surname or topographic surname is a surname derived from a place name.

that is found in

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

as “da Rocha” or simply ''Rocha'', literally, "one who is from/of the rock". It could also be a Jewish-Portuguese Sephardic surname.Jorge Martins (2006), ''Portugal e os Judeus: Volume I – dos primórdios da nacionalidade à legislação pombalina'', Lisboa, Vega.

People with the surname

Alicia de Larrocha Alicia de Larrocha y de la Calle (23 May 192325 September 2009) was a Spanish pianist and composer. She was considered one of the great piano legends of the 20th century. Reuters called her "the greatest Spanish pianist in history", ''Time'' "o ...

, pianist * Alvany Rocha, mathematician * Antônio Cavilhas Rocha, Brazilian chess master * Carlos Eduardo Rocha, mixed martial artist * Chuck Rocha, US political strategist *

Coco Rocha Mikhaila "Coco" Rocha (born September 10, 1988) is a Canadian fashion model. She is known as one of the first "digital" supermodels, and is known for her advocacy for younger models. As an author, she collaborated on the 2014 book ''Study of Pos ...

(born 1988), Canadian supermodel *

Dardo Rocha Dardo Rocha (September 1, 1838 – September 6, 1921) was an Argentine naval officer, lawyer and politician best known as the founder of the city of La Plata and of the University of La Plata. Life and times Juan José Dardo Rocha was born t ...

, an Argentine 19th-century politician * Diogo Rocha (tennis), Portuguese tennis player *

Evaristo Rocha Evaristo Rocha was a conservative Nicaraguan politician who served as acting Supreme Director of Nicaragua between 5 April and 30 June 1839. The first Nicaraguan Government was essentially a transitional government intended to prepare for the tra ...

, President of Nicaragua in 1839 *

Geraldo Rocha Pereira Geraldo Rocha Pereira (born 16 March 1994), commonly known as Geraldo, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Tarumã in the second division of the Campeonato Amazonense The Campeonato Amazonense, officially Campeonato Amazonens ...

, Brazilian footballer *

Glauber Rocha Glauber de Andrade Rocha (; 14 March 1939 – 22 August 1981) was a Brazilian film director, actor and screenwriter. He was one of the most influential moviemakers of Brazilian cinema and a key figure of Cinema Novo. His films ''Black God, White ...

, Brazilian filmmaker *

John Rocha John Rocha CBE (born 23 August 1953) is a Chinese-Irish designer born in Hong Kong. He is based in Ireland. Biography He moved to Ireland after graduating from the Croydon School of Art, London. Known for his hand-crafting, beading and appliqu ...

, Hong Kong born fashion designer *

Juan Ramon Rocha ''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanish, t ...

, Argentine footballer-manager and former Panathinaikos FC player *

Kali Rocha Kali Michele Rocha (born December 5, 1971) is an American actress. She is known for portraying Karen Rooney, the mother of four Rooney children and school's vice principal, in the Disney Channel sitcom '' Liv and Maddie''. She has also co-written ...

, American actress * Luis M. Rocha, Portuguese-American scientist *

Martha Rocha Maria Martha Hacker Rocha (Salvador, Bahia 19 September 1932 – Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, 4 July 2020) was a Brazilian model, the first winner of Miss Brasil 1954, and the 1st runner-up to Miss Universe. Career Rocha was born on 19 September 1 ...

(1932–2020), Brazilian model *

Red Rocha Ephraim J. "Red" Rocha (September 18, 1923 – February 13, 2010) was an American professional basketball player and coach. Basketball A 6'9" center from Oregon State University, he earned List of All-Pacific-12 Conference men's basketball tea ...

(1923–2010), American basketball player and coach *

Ricardo Rocha (disambiguation) Ricardo Rocha may refer to: *Ricardo Rocha (footballer, born 1962), Brazilian former football defender and coach *Ricardo Rocha (footballer, born 1965), Brazilian former football midfielder and coach *Ricardo Rocha (footballer, born 1978), Portugue ...

, multiple people *

Paulo Rocha (disambiguation) Paulo Rocha may refer to: * Paulo Rocha (actor) (born 1977), Portuguese actor * Paulo Rocha (Brazilian politician) (born 1951), Brazilian politician * Paulo Rocha (Cape Verde politician) * Paulo Rocha (film director) Paulo Soares da Rocha (22 ...

, multiple people * Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha (born 1973), a Brazilian footballer more commonly known as Roberto Carlos *

Simone Rocha Simone Rocha (born 1986) is an Irish fashion designer. She is the daughter of fashion designer John Rocha, and trained at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin and at Central Saint Martins, London. She launched her graduate collection ...

, an Irish fashion designer *

Vagner Rocha Vagner Rocha (born June 6, 1982 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is a Brazilian-American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and professional mixed martial artist, currently competing in the lightweight division. He is the current Combat Jiu-Jitsu World ...

, mixed martial artist *

Zack de la Rocha Zacharias Manuel de la Rocha (born January 12, 1970) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, and political activist. He is best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Rage Against the Machine. Through both Rage Agains ...

, lead singer of the band

Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to simply Rage) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commer ...

References

{{surname, Rocha Portuguese-language surnames