Surname Rotherham - Meaning and Origin
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Rotherham: What does the surname Rotherham mean?
The last name Rotherham is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is a locational name deriving from the place of that name in Yorkshire, England. It is also possible that it may have been derived from a Norse personal name, acquired through the Viking invasions that occurred in the ninth and tenth centuries.
The place name Rotherham is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 and is derived from 'Redredesham' which is a combination of two Old English words, 'hryder', meaning 'heifer', and 'ham', meaning a 'homestead'. This suggests that the place was the site of a farm that bred cattle.
The surname Rotherham is still quite widespread in England today, with clusters of families in historically rural areas of the country such as Yorkshire, Lancashire, Durham, and Northumberland. The name is also known throughout North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Some variants of the surname include Rothero, Rotherow, Rotheroe, Rootherham, Roterham, and Rothram.
Rotherham can be an occupational name, derived from someone who originated from Rotherham. It suggests a connection to the rural farming and agrarian lifestyle of the area in which the family was based. The name is a reminder of a former time when families based their businesses and livelihoods on the land.
Order DNA origin analysisRotherham: Where does the name Rotherham come from?
The last name Rotherham is most commonly associated with the historically important town of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England.
The town is believed to have been founded sometime in the late 11th century, and is mentioned in the Doomsday Book, written by William the Conqueror shortly after that time. It is believed that the town took its name from the local River Rother which runs through the town and its surrounding area.
The name Rotherham is also common in Australia, particularly in Victoria and New South Wales, thanks to its major post-WWII immigration scheme. Some of the first settlers with the name Rotherham were John, Thomas, Walter, and William Rotherham, who all came to Australia from England in 1948.
Today, the name Rotherham is most common in England, although it can also be found in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada. In the most recent census taken in Britain in 2011, there were 3,031 people living in the UK by the name of Rotherham. According to the US Census 2000 there are 1,288 people living in the USA by the same name.
In addition to its geographical relevance, the Rotherham surname is also associated with a number of notable people including English judge Sir John Rotherham, English priest and martyr William Rotherham, and Australian sportsman Ray Rotherham.
Variations of the surname Rotherham
Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Rotherham include the following:
Roa(e)theram, Ro(u)therham, Roatheram, Rotheham, Rotram, Rot(h)erham, Routham, Rot(h)am, Rotham, Rawth(e)rham, Rawtheram, Rawtham, Rawthem, Rote(r)ham, Raut(h)erham, Rauthem, Routram, Rowtheram, Rowtheam and Routhham.
Other variants of the surname Rotherham include: Rathern, Rotherom, Rytherham, Rhudram, Rotharm and Rotheram. These variants are derived from the Old English ‘aehte’, meaning right.
The surname Rotherham is thought to have first been used by someone who lived in or near the township of Rotherham in the West Riding of Yorkshire in England. This is a surname derived from a locational source.
The first recorded instance of the surname Rotherham in England is believed to be in the form of Randall Rothehamm in 1176, in the county of Kent. The name eventually spread throughout Britain, to Ireland and the United States, with the spelling changing with each place and era.
Today, the surname is still found in many parts of Britain and the United States. It is also common in other countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
Famous people with the name Rotherham
- Clive Rotherham: British actor and writer.
- Robert Rotherham: British songwriter, composer and producer.
- Gordon Rotherham: Australian professional football player.
- Steven Rotherham: New Zealand cricket player.
- David Rotherham: Australian historian, author and academic.
- Alan Rotherham: English playwright and theatre director.
- Matt Rotherham: British Olympic cyclist.
- Sylvia Rotherham: British author and screenwriter.
- Ronnie Rotherham: British stage and screen actor.
- Daniel Rotherham: British actor and runner.
- Tony Rotherham: British artist and sculptor.
- Walter Rotherham: British politician and academic.
- Richard Rotherham: British politician and community leader.
- Joan Rotherham: British author and suffragist.
- Vanessa Rotherham: English actress.
- Malcolm Rotherham: British music producer and songwriter.
- Paul Rotherham: British author, journalist and publisher.
- Alexander Rotherham: British physician and writer.
- William Rotherham: British doctor, author and scientist.
- John Rotherham: British World War II pilot and prisoner of war.