Surname Rotter - Meaning and Origin
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Unraveling the Legacy of the Rotter Surname through iGENEA DNA Test: A Personal Revelation
The iGENEA DNA test was more than a voyage into my ancestry; it was a transformative journey that reshaped my understanding of my family heritage and surname, Rotter. Learning about my lineage, strikingly spread from Central Europe to Scandinavian shores, I began to appreciate the historical richness of my surname and the broader narrative it denotes about my family.
L. Rotter
read moreRotter: What does the surname Rotter mean?
Rotter is a surname of German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German word "rotære" which means "councillor" or "adviser." This term was often used for someone who was a trusted advisor or councillor to a king, queen, or high-ranking nobleman during the Middle Ages. So, individuals with the surname Rotter might have ancestors who held such advisory roles. In some cases, the name could be occupational for a wheelwright; the one who made and repaired wheels, as 'rotære' could also refer to a turner or a person who worked with a lathe. Furthermore, it might also have originated as a derogatory nickname from the German word 'rotten,' meaning 'to rot,' likening someone’s character to something rotten or corrupt. It's worth noting that the interpretations vary greatly depending on region, local dialect, and historical context.
Order DNA origin analysisRotter: Where does the name Rotter come from?
The last name Rotter is most commonly found today in Germany and Jewish communities around the world, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. The name is derived from the German word "rot", meaning "red". It is thought to have originally denoted someone with red hair, or someone who lived in a place with a red sign or coat of arms.
In Germany, the Rotter family first appeared in the old Prussian provinces of Pomerania, East Prussia and West Prussia in the 1600s. The name was also used in the Middle Ages as a name for a dyer or a cloth dyer. Rotter is still a very common last name in Germany, especially in the Bavarian region.
In the United States, the Rotter name arrived in the late 19th century, when massive waves of Jewish immigrants from Ukraine, Poland, and Eastern Europe came to America. According to the US Census Bureau, the last name Rotter is most common in New York, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
In Britain, Rotter is a rare surname. Records suggest that the name has been in the country since the 13th century, but it is not very common today.
Overall, Rotter is most abundant in German-speaking nations, as well as in Jewish communities around the world, particularly those in Central and Eastern Europe. It has also gained some prominence in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Variations of the surname Rotter
The surname Rotter is an occupational name derived from the Middle English term ‘rotour’, meaning ‘warrior’. This name is found mainly in Northwest Germany and the Netherlands. Variations of the surname include Rotterman, Roter, Rotor, Rotior, Roth, Rother, Roteram and Rotterdam.
Rotter is the Dutch spelling of the name. In German, the surname can be spelled as Roth or Rot. In some cases, people with this surname have adopted different spellings like Rath, Reuther, Rother and Rheuter.
Other variants of the surname Rotter include the surnames Rottger, Rötger, Rüttger, Röttger, Rottig, Röttig, Ruttgau, Rutta and Ruttka. The surname Rotter has also been Anglicized to “Rutter”.
There are other variants of the surname from other countries as well, such as Roter in Poland, Rotser in Lithuania, Rotari in Italy and Rota in Spain.
The surname Rotter has come to be associated with a family of German Jewish industrialists, philanthropists and philanthropic organizations, such as the A.S. Rotter Foundation, the R.L. Rotter Foundation and the Rotter Charitable Trust.
The Rotter family has made significant contributions to the fields of art, architecture and philanthropy, as well as to numerous social causes and charitable organizations.
Famous people with the name Rotter
- Emile Rotter: Australian Rules footballer who played 7 games for Collingwood in the Victorian Football League.
- David Rotter: Actor, stuntman, and playing agent.
- Dov Rotter: Israeli former tennis player.
- André Rotter: French composer, conductor, and musical director.
- Sam Rotter: American composer and producer.
- Thomas Rotter: Austrian professional ice hockey goaltender.
- Lawrence Rotter: British film and television actor.
- Julian Rotter: American psychologist known for developing the Social Learning Theory.
- Kurt Rotter: Romanian former footballer who played as a forward.
- Joseph Oskar Rotter: Jewish Penicillin researcher in the 1950s.