​

There already was a place called Rochange on the island of Voorne around 1200AD. That village was washed away around 1214 during one of the floods that formed the Haringvliet. Soon after, the recovery of the flooded areas, where possible, was done with the help of Cistercian monks of the abbey of Ter Doest Lissewege in the Flemish village near Brugge. The first polder that was created was named Old Rockanje. Within six years, in 1220, would Dirk Van Zeeland II Voorne (the Lord of Voorne) show his gratitude for the help by  giving the Middellant (as the field of Rockanje was then called) to the monks of the abbey. Most of the current area Rockanje was created by the further reclamation of areas that were flooded around 1214. In the end nine clay polders were reclaimed, which later became Rockanje.