This Norman family seems not to be of noble origins; unlike many others, they are not connected to the Carolingian or Norman dynasties. Herbert des Roches (possibly from Longué-Jumelles) lived in the early twelfth century; his son was Baudouin des Roches, who married (probably) Alix de Chatellerault; their son Guillaume des Roches (c1165-1222) was a knight of Henry II of England, and supported him during the brief rebellion of his son, the future Richard I. Guillaume later accompanied Richard on the Third Crusade, and was sent on various diplomatic missions. It was probably Richard who arranged for him to marry Marguérite, daughter and heiress of Robert de Sablé, though the marriage took place after Richard died. Guillaume supported the young Arthur of Brittany for the succession against King John. Arthur made him hereditary seneschal of Anjou, and when the rebellion failed, he went over to the French; Philip II made him seigneur of Chateau-du-Loir, a castle taken from Richard I's widow Berengaria of Navarre. (The chateau is gone; the town's arms are pictured above.) He later acquired significant lands and rights in Anjou, most of which he lost when King John re-established his control in that area. In 1209 and 1219 Guillaume participated in the Albigensian Crusade.

Guillaume des Roches and Marguérite de Sablé had two daughters: (1) Jeanne, who married Amaury I de Craon and took both Sablé and the hereditary seneschalship into that family; and (2) Clémence, who married Geoffroi VI, vicomte de Châteaudun. See those two families for our descent.