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![Show Contents]() Rather History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The German state of Bavaria is the ancestral home of the Rather family. Nickname surnames, such as Rather, 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 Rather 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 Rather familyThe surname Rather 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 Rather familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rather 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 Rather History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Rather Spelling VariationsMany 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 Rather include Rothe, Rote, Rot, Roth (southern Germany), Roter, Rother (Silesia), Rothe, Rothbart and many more. Early Notables of the Rather familyProminent among members of the name Rather 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 Rather Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Rather RankingIn the United States, the name Rather is the 12,151st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1
 Rather migration to the United States | + |
German settlers were among the most common to come to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. Poverty and religious persecution drove many Bavarians to make this long trek. tenant farmers were also enticed by the prospect of owning land. From east to west, these German immigrants populated the United States, settling in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada also provided homes to many. Early settlers bearing the Rather surname or a spelling variation of the name include:
Rather Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Hans Michael Rather, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1754 2
Rather Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Albert Rather, aged 1, who landed in America, in 1892
- Carl Rather, aged 7, who landed in America, in 1892
- Caroline Rather, aged 22, who immigrated to America, in 1892
- Franz Rather, aged 3, who landed in America, in 1892
- Anna Rather, aged 41, who immigrated to the United States, in 1895
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Rather Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- A. Rather, aged 33, who settled in America from Durham, in 1905
- Archie Edson Rather, aged 27, who settled in America, in 1915
| Contemporary Notables of the name Rather (post 1700) | + |
- David Elmer "Bo" Rather (b. 1950), former American football wide receiver
- Daniel Irvin "Dan" Rather Jr. (b. 1931), American seven-time Peabody Award winning and numerous Emmy Award winning journalist and the former news anchor for the CBS Evening News
| Historic Events for the Rather family | + |
Bismarck - Herbert Räther (1920-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 3
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
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Rather migration to the United States 
England
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