Show ContentsRotar History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The German state of Bavaria is the ancestral home of the Rotar family. Nickname surnames, such as Rotar, 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 Rotar 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 Rotar family

The surname Rotar 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 Rotar family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rotar 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 Rotar History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rotar 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 Rotar include Rothe, Rote, Rot, Roth (southern Germany), Roter, Rother (Silesia), Rothe, Rothbart and many more.

Early Notables of the Rotar family

Prominent among members of the name Rotar 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 Rotar Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rotar family

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 Rotar surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Johann Roth, who sailed to Carolina and/or Pennsylvania in 1709. Among the several hundred family members who followed this first settler were: David Roth, who sailed to Pennsylvania in 1720.



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