Show ContentsRosenthal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient German region of the Rhineland was the original home of the name Rosenthal. Rosenthal was a local name, a type of hereditary surname that identified people by the places where they lived. Landowners were the first to use local names, often attaching the prefix "von", meaning "of" or "from", in some cases as a mark of aristocratic birth. Local names are by far the most common style of German hereditary surname. Rosenthal was a name for someone who lived in a township called Resenthal which is a place-name that denoted someone who came from an area where there was a valley of roses. Rosenthal is therefore a local name, indicating that the original bearer once lived, or held land in that area.

Early Origins of the Rosenthal family

The surname Rosenthal was first found in the Rhineland, where the name contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation and would later play a large role in the tribal and national conflicts of the area. In later years the name branched into many houses, each playing a significant role in the local social and political affairs.

Early History of the Rosenthal family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rosenthal research. Another 208 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1597, 1622, 1625 and 1771 are included under the topic Early Rosenthal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rosenthal Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Rosenthal include Rosenthal, Rosental, Rosenthall, Rosentahl, Rosenthaler, Rosentaler, Rosethal, Rosetal, Rosethaler, Rosetaler, Rozenthal, Rozental, Rossenthal, Rossental, Rossenthaler, Rossentaler and many more.

Early Notables of the Rosenthal family

Notables with the name Rosenthal during this period were

  • Heinrich Rosenthal, a well known scholar of law who was ennobled in 1597 for his great book on law entitled "De Feudis" which he dedicated to Kaiser Rudolph II

Rosenthal Ranking

In the United States, the name Rosenthal is the 2,157th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 1


United States Rosenthal migration to the United States +

Hundreds of thousands of Europeans, including many Rhinelanders, made the voyage to North America between the 17th and 20th centuries. It was an escape from religious persecution and poverty and also an opportunity for people to start over and own their own land. Most landed at Ellis Island, off New York before moving on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, and California. Some also landed in Canada and settled in Ontario, while others headed west to the prairie provinces. A study of passenger and immigration lists has shown a number of people bearing the name of Rosenthal, or one of its variants, reaching North America shores very early:

Rosenthal Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johan Rosenthal, who sailed to America in 1709
  • George Rosenthal, who arrived in New York, NY in 1782 2
  • Christ Rosenthal, who arrived in America in 1783 2
  • Fedrick Rosenthal, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1794 2
  • Fredrick Rosenthal, who settled in Philadelphia in 1794
Rosenthal Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Charlotte Rosenthal, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 2
  • Isaac Moses Rosenthal, aged 24, who landed in Missouri in 1844 2
  • Heinrich Rosenthal, who arrived in Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Margaretha" 2
  • Mrs. Friedke Rosenthal, (nee Kahle), German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Margaretha"
  • Hermann Rosenthal, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Rosenthal Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Max Rosenthal, who arrived in Mississippi in 1904 2

Canada Rosenthal migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rosenthal Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Christoff Rosenthal, who sailed to Canada in 1783

Australia Rosenthal migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Rosenthal Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Charles Rosenthal, a cabinetmaker, who arrived in South Australia in 1848 aboard the ship "Alfred" 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Rosenthal (post 1700) +

  • Jacob "Jack" Rosenthal (1935-2017), American Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, editor and executive best known for his work at The New York Times
  • Lieutenant Colonel Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal (1917-2007), U.S. Air Force pilot during World War II, recipient of the Air Medal with seven clusters, Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross from Great Britain
  • Richard L. "Rick" Rosenthal Jr. (b. 1949), American film and television director, known for his work on the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Smallville
  • Paul Rosenthal (b. 1942), American violinist
  • Paul D. Rosenthal (b. 1959), American politician, Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives (2013-)
  • Lyova Haskell Rosenthal (b. 1929), birth name of Lee Grant, American Academy Award winning theater, film and television actress
  • Macha Louis Rosenthal, prominent American poet
  • Jean Rosenthal (1923-2020), French translator and journalist
  • Norman E. Rosenthal, South African, author, psychiatrist and scientist
  • Abraham Michael "A.M." Rosenthal (1922-2006), Canadian-born, managing editor of the New York Times, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1960, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
  • ... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Hood
  • Mr. Henry C Rosenthal (b. 1922), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Easton, Brighton, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 4
Pan Am Flight 103 (Lockerbie)
  • Daniel Peter Rosenthal (1968-1988), American Student from Staten Island, New York, America, who flew aboard the Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit, known as the Lockerbie bombing in 1988 and died 5
  • Andrea Victoria Rosenthal (1966-1988), American Student from New York, New York, America, who flew aboard the Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit, known as the Lockerbie bombing in 1988 and died 5


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ALFRED 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Alfred.htm
  4. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  5. Pan Am Flight 103's victims: A list of those killed 25 years ago | syracuse.com. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/12/pan_am_flight_103s_victims_a_list_of_those_killed_25_years_ago.html


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