Show ContentsWroten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Wroten family

The surname Wroten 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 Wroten family

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

Wroten Spelling Variations

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

Early Notables of the Wroten 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...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wroten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wroten Ranking

In the United States, the name Wroten is the 14,142nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Ireland Migration of the Wroten family to Ireland

Some of the Wroten 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.

Migration of the Wroten family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..


Contemporary Notables of the name Wroten (post 1700) +

  • Joseph Eason "Joe" Wroten (1925-2005), American politician, Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives (1952-1963)
  • Claude James Wroten (b. 1983), American football defensive tackle
  • Tony Wroten Jr. (b. 1993), American professional basketball player


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  3. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/


Houseofnames.com on Facebook