The editorial project

THE ROCHAT FAMILY,
“DE LA FAMILLE COMTOISE
À LA TRIBU VAUDOISE”

French-speaking Switzerland was shaped by the families who populated the area. Their history, adventures, development and achievements shaped the DNA of this country. Many families are immigrants from near or afar. The destiny of the Rochat family which originates from neighbouring France-Comté is particularly telling in this respect since the family is intimately linked to the development of the Canton de Vaud, a development in which it has participated from the 15th century to the present day. Rooted in the Vallée de Joux, the Rochats have first of all participated in its development for several centuries and then shared their diverse skills with other regions of French-speaking Switzerland. The family did not stop at the French-speaking part of Switzerland, since many of its members emigrated to Europe or other continents as early as the 18th century. Having arrived in 1480, Vinet Rochat and his sons certainly had no idea they would be at the origin of such a dynasty, through the passage of time, they were subject to political, religious, and economic upheavals. Little did they know that their descendants were to become deeply involved in the heritage of the Vallée de Joux, the canton of Vaud and French-speaking Switzerland, to the extent that their presence and influence extended far beyond the Jura mountains of Vaud.

Loïc Rochat is the initiator and director of the publication of this collective work. A historian specialising in genealogy, he has undertaken extensive research on the Rochat family for more than twenty years. In 2012, he created the “Revue vaudoise de généalogie et d’histoire des familles” the only review of historical literature which specialises in family history. In 2000, he launched the ambitious project of publication devoted to the Rochat family. In 2017 the association was created under the name of “1480 Association of the Rochat family.” A technical support team was then set up to organise scientific research and seventeen contributors specialising in the social history of Vaud were brought together under its direction. The project is now on track and requires financial resources to make it a reality. We invite you to support this research, the publication of the first book and the following ones.