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Rotter Family History

Rotter Surname Meaning

German: variant of Rother. German: status or occupational name for the foreman or leader of a group or association of men for example a market co-op, a community, or a work gang from an agent derivative of Middle High German rotte ‘team, gang’.

German: occupational name for a harp player, Middle High German rottære. German: habitational name for someone from any of various places called Rott.

The surname of German origin, in any of the possible senses, is also found in some central European countries, especially in Czechia.

In some cases, also a Germanized or Americanized form of Slovenian Rotar.

English: variant of Rutter.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Rotter family from?

You can see how Rotter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rotter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rotter families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 36 Rotter families living in London. This was about 16% of all the recorded Rotter's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Rotter families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rotter surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Rotter ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Rotter. 95% of Rotter women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Rotter | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    95%
  • Domestic Servant
    6%

What Rotter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Rotter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rotter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rotter

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Rotter. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Rotter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Rotter. For the veterans among your Rotter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rotter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rotter family history

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What is the average Rotter lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Rotter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Rotter in 1958 was 51, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rotter

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rotter ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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