Rochford is a local government district in Essex, England. It is named for one of its main settlements, Rochford, though the major centre of population in the district is the town of Rayleigh. Other places in the district include Hockley, Ashingdon, Great Wakering, Canewdon and Hullbridge. It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the Rayleigh Urban District and the Rochford Rural District.