Contents [hide]

Roth History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Roth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Ireland
Israel

Early Origins of the Roth family

The surname Roth was first found in Kent at Wrotham, a parish, and formerly a market-town, in the union of Malling, hundred of Wrotham, lathe of Aylesford. "This place, which is of remote antiquity, was probably a town of the Britons, various discoveries having been made of British coins, and of fragments of brass armour and military weapons. Other circumstances lead to the conclusion that it was afterwards a Roman station: the military way from Oldborough to Stane-street passed through it." 1

Another source notes that "Wroth is at present a Kingsbridge [(Devon)] name. " 2

Both are very rare, but the Roth variant is more numerous. In this case, the name was for "the red-haired or ruddy-complexioned man; one who came from Roth (red.) " 3

William de Wrotham (d. 1217), was an English judge, "the grandson of Geoffrey de Wrotham of Baddenville, near Wrotham in Kent, a domestic servant of several archbishops of Canterbury, including Hubert Walter, who gave him lands near Wrotham, Kent. By his wife, Maud de Cornhill, Geoffrey was father of William de Wrotham (d. 1208?), who was sheriff of Devonshire in 1198, acted as justiciar in the reigns of Richard I and John, and married Muriel de Lydd. As he survived until about 1208, it is difficult to distinguish him from his son, but apparently it was the son who was custos of the stanneries of Devonshire and Cornwall from 1199 to 1213 " 4

Early History of the Roth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Roth research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1516, 1540, 1541, 1546, 1550, 1558, 1573, 1576, 1587, 1603, 1606, 1613, 1618, 1619, 1622, 1629, 1630, 1639, 1641, 1642, 1645, 1650, 1651, 1661, 1671 and 1740 are included under the topic Early Roth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Roth Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wroth, Wrothe, Roth, Rothe, Rotham, Roothem, Rootham, Wrothem and many more.

Early Notables of the Roth family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Lady Mary Wroth (1587-1651), an English poet, best known for having written "The Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania"
Sir Thomas Wroth (1516-1573), an English courtier and politician, a supporter of the Protestant Reformation
Sir Robert Wroth (1540?-1606), an English politician born in Middlesex
Sir Henry Wroth (d. 1671), a Royalist during the civil wars and 'pensioner' of Charles I of England

Roth World Ranking

In the United States, the name Roth is the 656^th most popular surname with an estimated 44,766 people with that name. 5 However, in Canada, the name Roth is ranked the 852^nd most popular surname with an estimated 6,290 people with that name. 6 And in France, the name Roth is the 691^st popular surname with an estimated 6,974 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Roth family to Ireland

Some of the Roth family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 209 words (15 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Roth migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Roth Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Gunnar Olufson Roth, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1649 8

Roth Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Engelbert Roth, who arrived in New York in 1709 8
Johann Roth, who sailed to Carolina and/or Pennsylvania in 1709
David Roth, who sailed to Pennsylvania in 1720
Georg Bartholomaus Roth, (1688-1735), from Bavaria, who arrived in Georgia in 1734 aboard the ship "Purysburg"
Conrad Roth, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1749 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Roth Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Johann Roth who settled in Philadelphia with his family in 1803
Franz Ludwig Roth, who landed in North America in 1837 8
Fredrick Roth, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1837 8
Adam Roth, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1841 8
Carl Roth, aged 37, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1845 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Roth Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Johann Roth, aged 21, who landed in America in 1901 8
Albert Roth, who landed in Wisconsin in 1920 8

Roth migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Roth Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Georg Roth, who settled in Canada in 1783

Roth Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. John Roth, aged 40 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec but died on Grosse Isle on 16th June 1847 9

Roth migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Roth Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Margaret Roth, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1873
William F. Roth, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1873
Robert Roth, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1873
Marie Roth, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1873
William James Roth, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1873
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Roth (post 1700) +

Philip Milton Roth (1933-2018), American author and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1998 and the Man Booker Prize in 2011
Mark Roth (1951-2021), American professional bowler who won 34 PBA Tour titles in his career, inducted into the PBA and USBC Halls of Fame
Eric Roth, American Academy Award winning writer, producer and actor, known for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), Forrest Gump (1994) and Munich (2005)
Eli Raphael Roth (b. 1972), American multiple award winning producer, actor and writer
Richard Roth (b. 1955), American journalist
Henry Roth (1906-1995), American novelist and short story writer
Billie D. Roth, American politician, Village President of Streamwood, Illinois, 2005-09 10
Arthur C. Roth, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Plauen, 1914 10
Arnold Roth, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1988 10
Almon E. Roth, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1936 10
... (Another 61 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Roth family +

Bismarck

Martin Roth (1917-1941), German Obermaschinenmaat who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 11
Lothar Roth (1916-1941), German Maschinenobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 11

RMS Titanic

Miss Sarah A. Roth, aged 26, English Third Class passenger from London who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking in collapsible C 12

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 54)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html