Show ContentsRott History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Rott

What does the name Rott mean?

The German state of Bavaria is the ancestral home of the Rott family. Nickname surnames, such as Rott, were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The family name Rott is a name for a person associated with the color red. The name comes from the Old German word "rot," meaning "red," and could have indicated that its bearer had red hair or a red beard, lived in a red house, or often dressed in red clothes.

Early Origins of the Rott family

The surname Rott was first found in Bavaria, where the name could be considered to have made a great contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of modern Europe. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the tribal and national conflicts, with each group seeking power and status in an ever changing territorial profile. Chronicles first mention the brothers Jeckel and Tilke Rote of Breslau in 1350, and Merklin der Rotter of Esslingen in 1307. Literally the name meant "red-haired" or "red-bearded," thus the oldest variation was possibly "Rothbart."

Early History of the Rott family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rott research. Another 274 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1245, 1288, 1300, 1360, 1434, 1552, 1620, 1653, 1668, 1700 and 1704 are included under the topic Early Rott History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rott Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Rott include Rothe, Rote, Rot, Roth (southern Germany), Roter, Rother (Silesia), Rothe, Rothbart and many more.

Early Notables of the Rott family

Prominent among members of the name Rott in this period include Johannes Rothe (1360-1434), a Thuringian priest who wrote instructional works on chivalry and heraldry and a history...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rott Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Rott migration to the United States +

Between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries, German settlers arrived in North America by the thousands. Persecution based on religion and poverty were great motivators in this large-scale migration. So too was the opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own land. Ample land and opportunity awaited the settlers who went to such states as Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, as well as Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Rott or a variant listed above:

Rott Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John George Rott, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 1
  • Daniel Rott, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1761 1
Rott Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Fr. Wilh. Rott, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Elisa & Char."

Contemporary Notables of the name Rott (post 1700) +

  • Rachel Rott, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 2008 2
  • Oldrich Rott (b. 1951), Czech gold medalist football midfielder
  • Yannick Rott (b. 1974), retired French footballer
  • Ferenc Rott (b. 1970), Hungarian footballer
  • Vladimir Rott (b. 1935), Belarus-born, Canadian engineer turned author; during a visit to Toronto in 1974, he defected to Canada
  • Hans Rott (1858-1884), Austrian composer and organist
  • Vladimír Jiří Rott (1885-1967), Czech businessman, son of Ladislav Rott, owner of V. J. Rott
  • Ladislav Rott (1851-1906), Czech businessman who with his brother Julius (died 1876), expanded the V. J. Rott business, son of Vincenc Rott
  • Vincenc Josef Rott (1813-1890), Czech founder of the V. J. Rott company in Prague


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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