Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Rokemede (in Kyngesbere) 1478 Cl, FF, HarlCh

• Bere Roke al' dict' Oke Kyngesbere 1500 Lane

• Rocke 1549 ib

• Roke Lease 1589 Hutch3

• Rooke JasI TRMB 1617 Add

• Reake Downe (sic) 1617 ib

• Roke 1774 Hutch1

• Roke (Barn) 1811 OS

• Roke Down, Roke Mead, Roke Moor 1845 TA

• de Hoke 1327 SR

• de la Hok' 1332 SR

Etymology

Roke Barn, Roke Fm (SY 835960), West Roke, Rokemede (in Kyngesbere )1478 Cl, FF, HarlCh , Bere Roke al ' dict ' Oke Kyngesbere 1500Lane , Rocke 1549ib , Roke Lease 1589 Hutch3, Rooke Jas ITRMB , 1617Add , Reake Downe (sic)1617ib , Roke 1774 Hutch1, Roke (Barn )1811 OS, Roke Down , Roke Mead , Roke Moor 1845TA . Roke probably represents a misdivision of ME  atter oke '(place) at the oak-tree', v. atter , āc , cf. Rock Wo 69; alternatively a misdivision of Bere Oke is possible. However if the surname of Walter de Hoke 1327SR , Walter de la Hok '1332 SR, belongs here, the el. would be hōc 'a hook, an angle', topographically possible for Roke either in the sense 'corner or bend in a hill' or 'land in a river-bend'.