Rochester
/ˈrɒtʃɪstə/noun
A place-name used for several settlements, especially the historic city in Kent, England.
Did you know?Rochester in Kent was originally the Roman settlement Durobrivae before its name was replaced by the Anglo-Saxon construction Hrofes ceaster.
Etymological Timeline
1st–4th Century
Latin
Durobrivae
“The Roman name for Rochester, commonly interpreted as a settlement associated with bridges or river crossings.”
Proto-Germanic / Anglo-Saxon period
Germanic
Hrofi
“A personal name or nickname traditionally understood as the first element of the later place-name.”
7th–10th Century
Old English
Hrofes ceaster
“Hrofi’s fortified settlement; ceaster derives from Latin castrum, meaning a fort or fortified place.”
1086
Middle English
Rochecestre
“The Domesday Book form of the place-name, showing the transition from Hrofes ceaster to Rochester.”
14th Century
English
Rochester
“The established English form of the name, referring to the Kentish city and other settlements bearing the same name.”
Modern English
English
Rochester
“A proper name for several places, including Rochester in Kent and Rochester, New York.”