A German surname, Rockefeller, the original name was Rokkenfelder which referred to those from the Rockenfeller or Rockenfeld region of Rhineland, Germany. The name means an open field of rye. A French branch of Rockefeller comes from Roquefeuille, France. Variations in spelling for Rockefeller include Rockenfeller, Rockenfeld and Rockafeller. Originally from the Rhineland region of Germany the Rockefeller family moved into Switzerland and to North America. Within the United States the Rockefeller families first settled in Pennsylvania and others moved into Canada. Individuals with the name also now live in New York, Ohio, Texas, California, Michigan, Illinois, Colorado and Connecticut. Famous: John D. Rockefeller (founder of Standard Oil Co.), Nelson Rockefeller (41st Vice-President of the United States), Jim Rockefeller (inventor of the Rockefeller Yankee - a fiberglass sports car) and James S. Rockefeller (1924 summer Olympics gold medal winner in rowing).