Roth Surname: Origin and Coat of Arms
What does Roth mean, and where does it come from? Here is a brief introduction.
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Origin of the Roth name
Roth has two German origins: a nickname for someone with red hair, from Middle High German rōt, "red", and a habitational name from places called Roth or Rot, from rod, "clearing". The surname is especially common in southern Germany, Switzerland and among German-speaking Jews.
One name, several origins
Roth has more than one source, and Wikipedia lists several competing theories. The two most widely accepted are a nickname from German rot, "red", for a red-haired person, and a topographic name from Rod or Rot, a forest clearing, which also gave rise to many place names. Roth is in addition a common Ashkenazi Jewish surname.
Forebears estimates about 96,000 bearers in Germany and 17,000 in Switzerland, where it ranks 20th. The United States is close behind Germany: around 84,000 by Forebears' estimate, and 58,278 in the 2010 Census (ranked 574th). Novelist Philip Roth and economist Alvin E. Roth, a Nobel laureate in 2012, are well-known American bearers.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Roth name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Roth name in Germany. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as Switzerland, the United States and Austria; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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Your full Roth pack adds the researched history, early records and migration. Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Roth coat of arms for you.
Roth name FAQ
What does the Roth name mean?
Red-haired; from a clearing. Common variants include Rot, Rothe, Rother.
Where does the Roth surname come from?
It originates in Germany, and is also found in Switzerland, the United States and Austria.
Is there a Roth coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Roth crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Roth coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Is Roth a Jewish surname?
It is common among Ashkenazi Jews, and it is also a widespread German and Swiss Christian name.
What does Roth mean in German?
Usually "red", for red hair, or a clearing in a forest.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Duden Familiennamen; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford). Facts and figures: Forebears surname distribution (estimates); US Census Bureau, 2010 surname file; Wikipedia, "Roth (surname)". Forebears figures are modelled estimates, rounded.