NameCensus.

UK surname

Roth

A German and Jewish surname referring to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion.

In the 1881 census there were 166 people recorded with the Roth surname, ranking it #14,496 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 847, ranked #6,598, up from #14,496 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kessingland, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney, Salford and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roth is 889 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 410.2%.

1881 census count

166

Ranked #14,496

Modern count

847

2016, ranked #6,598

Peak year

2014

889 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roth had 166 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,496 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 847 in 2016, ranked #6,598.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 366 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Roth surname distribution map

The map shows where the Roth surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Roth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roth over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 27 #28,467
1861 historical 102 #20,797
1881 historical 166 #14,496
1891 historical 165 #17,143
1901 historical 298 #11,695
1911 historical 366 #9,936
1997 modern 701 #7,240
1998 modern 712 #7,378
1999 modern 740 #7,225
2000 modern 754 #7,071
2001 modern 714 #7,250
2002 modern 739 #7,190
2003 modern 751 #7,010
2004 modern 757 #6,972
2005 modern 731 #7,091
2006 modern 786 #6,724
2007 modern 810 #6,614
2008 modern 800 #6,743
2009 modern 825 #6,713
2010 modern 847 #6,713
2011 modern 826 #6,765
2012 modern 851 #6,521
2013 modern 885 #6,425
2014 modern 889 #6,438
2015 modern 851 #6,596
2016 modern 847 #6,598

Geography

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Where Roths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kessingland, London parishes, Manchester and St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hackney, Salford and Barnet. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kessingland Suffolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace London (West Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hackney 003 Hackney
2 Hackney 001 Hackney
3 Salford 010 Salford
4 Hackney 004 Hackney
5 Barnet 037 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roth

These lists show first names that appear often with the Roth surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roth

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Roth, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Roth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Roth household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Roth is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Roth is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Roth falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Roth is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Roth, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Roth

The surname Roth has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the Middle Ages, likely around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the German word "rot," meaning "red," and was likely given as a descriptive surname to someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in various Germanic records and manuscripts from the medieval period, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a compilation of historical documents from Saxony dating back to the 9th century. The name appeared in various spellings, including Roth, Rothe, and Rot.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Konrad Roth, a German nobleman who lived in the late 13th century and was mentioned in the Annales Fuldenses, a medieval chronicle written by the monks of Fulda Abbey.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname began to spread across Europe as German communities migrated to other regions. It became particularly prevalent in areas with strong German cultural influences, such as Switzerland, Austria, and parts of Eastern Europe.

Among the notable historical figures with the surname Roth are Albrecht Roth, a German Renaissance painter and engraver who lived from 1491 to 1548, and Johann Roth, a Swiss-German Protestant reformer and theologian born in 1498 who played a significant role in the Reformation movement.

In the 18th century, the surname gained prominence in the American colonies with the arrival of German immigrants. One of the earliest recorded instances was of Johann Roth, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 and settled in what is now Berks County.

Other notable individuals with the surname Roth include Paul Roth, a German-born American businessman and philanthropist (1859-1935), who founded the Roth Candy Company; and Philip Roth, the celebrated American novelist and two-time winner of the National Book Award (1933-2018).

The name has also been associated with several place names, such as Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a historic town in Bavaria, Germany, and Rothesay, a town on the Isle of Bute in Scotland, which derives its name from the Old Norse "Roth-Soy," meaning "red island."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roth surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 88 Roths recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.43x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 88 5.43x
Lancashire 13 0.68x
Yorkshire 10 0.62x
Surrey 9 1.14x
Glamorgan 7 2.48x
Kent 7 1.27x
Midlothian 6 2.77x
Cheshire 4 1.12x
Cornwall 3 1.64x
Durham 3 0.62x
Sussex 3 1.10x
Lanarkshire 2 0.38x
Leicestershire 2 1.11x
Worcestershire 2 0.95x
Bedfordshire 1 1.19x
Devon 1 0.30x
Essex 1 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.46x
Somerset 1 0.38x
Staffordshire 1 0.18x
Warwickshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Paddington London in Middlesex leads with 13 Roths recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.83x.

Place Total Index
Paddington London 13 21.83x
St Marylebone London 13 15.04x
Ormesby 10 232.02x
Shoreditch London 10 14.25x
Hackney London 8 8.81x
St George Hanover 8 37.84x
Swansea Town 7 30.28x
Greenwich 6 23.27x
Ince In Makerfield 6 67.11x
Fulham London 5 21.29x
Leith North 4 952.38x
Whitechapel London 4 25.06x
Bromley London 3 8.42x
Camberwell 3 2.90x
Hampton London 3 112.78x
Hulme 3 7.48x
Islington London 3 1.91x
Preston 3 62.89x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 9.21x
St Clement 3 157.07x
St Pancras London 3 2.30x
Birkenhead 2 7.02x
Bishopwearmouth 2 4.84x
Clerkenwell London 2 5.23x
Kensington London 2 2.22x
Leicester St Margaret 2 4.57x
Limehouse London 2 11.25x
Pendleton In Salford 2 8.74x
St George Bloomsbury 2 21.53x
Westminster St James 2 12.01x
Acton 1 10.54x
Alvechurch 1 111.11x
Barony 1 0.75x
Battersea 1 1.68x
Caunton 1 434.78x
Chadderton 1 10.65x
Codsall 1 128.21x
Edgbaston 1 7.90x
Esh 1 28.49x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 12.95x
Feckenham 1 41.32x
Hampstead London 1 3.97x
Lambeth 1 0.71x
Luton 1 6.89x
Marple 1 40.82x
Mile End Old Town 1 3.91x
Moss Side 1 9.89x
North Leith 1 9.96x
Old Monkland 1 4.81x
Oxton 1 49.51x
South Leith 1 4.10x
St Andrew Holborn 1 18.21x
Streatham 1 8.33x
Tenterden 1 51.28x
Wembdon 1 129.87x
Westminster St 1 16.75x
Woodford 1 27.62x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Roth surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Roth surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 11
George 4
William 4
Frederick 3
Adam 2
August 2
Bernard 2
Edward 2
Frank 2
Julius 2
Louis 2
Adolphe 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Anato. 1
Anton 1
Beere 1
Carl 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Emil 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
Felix 1
Franke 1
Fredrick 1
Gustav 1
Harrold 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Herman 1
Howard 1
Hubert 1
Hugo 1
James 1
Joseph 1
L. 1
Leonard 1
Morris 1
Paul 1
Pierre 1
Reuter 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Theodore 1
Victor 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Roth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 166 people were recorded with the Roth surname. That placed it at #14,496 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 847 in 2016. That gives Roth a modern rank of #6,598.

What does the Roth surname mean?

A German and Jewish surname referring to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion.

What does the Roth map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Roth bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.