Rote History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

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

The surname Rote 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 Rote family

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

Rote Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Rote include Rothe, Rote, Rot, Roth (southern Germany), Roter, Rother (Silesia), Rothe, Rothbart and many more.

Early Notables of the Rote family

Prominent among members of the name Rote in this period include

Johannes Rothe (1360-1434), a Thuringian priest who wrote instructional works on chivalry and heraldry and a history of Thuringia

Rote migration to the United States +

European migration to North America began in the mid-17th century and continued unabated until the mid-20th. Many Bavarians made the long trip to escape poverty or persecution based on their religious beliefs. The chance for tenant farmers to own their own land was also a major drawing card. They settled all across the United States in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many came to Canada also, settling in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Rotes to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Rote Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Conrad Rote, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1761 1

Rote migration to Australia +

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

Rote Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Charles Rote, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Adamant" on March 16, 1821, settling in New South Wales, Australia 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Rote (post 1700) +

John F. Rote, American politician, Independent Candidate for Presidential Elector for West Virginia, 1980 3
Anna M. Rote, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1924, 1928 3

Citations +

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)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Adamant voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1821 with 144 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adamant/1821
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, March 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html