During the 19th century, however, New York City was a destination from the mid-century on by waves of immigration, principally from Ireland and Germany. Through the 18th century, New Rochelle had remained a modest village that retained an abundance of agricultural land. 136 were African American, including 36 who were freemen the remainder were enslaved. The first national census of 1790 shows New Rochelle with 692 residents. The farm, totaling about 300 acres (1.2 km 2), had been confiscated from its owners by state of New York due to their Tory activities. After the Revolutionary War ended in 1784, patriot Thomas Paine was given a farm in New Rochelle for his service to the cause of independence. Following British victory in the Battle of White Plains, New Rochelle became part of a 'Neutral Ground' for General Washington to regroup his troops. The British Army briefly occupied sections of New Rochelle and Larchmont in 1776. In 1775, General George Washington stopped in New Rochelle on his way to assume command of the Army of the United Colonies in Massachusetts. French was spoken, and it was common practice for people in neighboring areas to send their children to New Rochelle to learn the language. The choice of name for the city reflected the importance of the city of La Rochelle and of the new settlement in Huguenot history and distinctly French character of the community. The colony continued to attract French refugees until as late as 1760. Of all the Huguenot settlements in America founded with the intention of being distinctly French colonies, New Rochelle most clearly conformed to the plans of its founders. He was subsequently appointed acting-governor of the province, and it was during this time that he acted on behalf of the Huguenots. He arrived in America as a mercenary in the British army and later became one of the most prominent merchants in New York.

Jacob Leisler is an important figure in the early histories of both New Rochelle and the United States. In 1689, Pell officially deeded 6,100 acres (25 km 2) for the establishment of a Huguenot community.

Thirty-one years earlier, the Siwanoy Indians, a band of Algonquian-speaking Lenape (also known as the Delaware by English colonists) sold their land to Thomas Pell. A monument containing the names of these settlers stands in Hudson Park, the original landing point of the Huguenots. Some 33 families established the community of La Nouvelle-Rochelle ( French pronunciation: ) in 1688.

New rochelle fire commander