NameCensus.

UK surname

Rothman

A Jewish occupational surname referring to someone who dyed fabric using the color red.

In the 1881 census there were 19 people recorded with the Rothman surname, ranking it #30,872 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 177, ranked #21,230, up from #30,872 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bournemouth, Powys and Tewkesbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rothman is 177 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 831.6%.

1881 census count

19

Ranked #30,872

Modern count

177

2016, ranked #21,230

Peak year

2016

177 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rothman had 19 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,872 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 177 in 2016, ranked #21,230.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 97 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Rothman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rothman surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rothman 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 12 #31,134
1861 historical 21 #31,242
1881 historical 19 #30,872
1891 historical 7 #33,665
1901 historical 45 #29,156
1911 historical 97 #23,076
1997 modern 161 #20,176
1998 modern 153 #21,387
1999 modern 149 #21,924
2000 modern 155 #21,341
2001 modern 148 #21,664
2002 modern 157 #21,261
2003 modern 158 #20,952
2004 modern 158 #21,077
2005 modern 157 #21,128
2006 modern 156 #21,399
2007 modern 161 #21,201
2008 modern 149 #22,530
2009 modern 146 #23,352
2010 modern 154 #23,082
2011 modern 164 #21,900
2012 modern 167 #21,598
2013 modern 166 #22,075
2014 modern 172 #21,731
2015 modern 172 #21,649
2016 modern 177 #21,230

Geography

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Where Rothmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bournemouth, Powys, Tewkesbury, New Forest and Westminster. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bournemouth 012 Bournemouth
2 Powys 013 Powys
3 Tewkesbury 002 Tewkesbury
4 New Forest 015 New Forest
5 Westminster 022 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rothman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rothman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rothman, 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 Rothman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Rothman 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Rothman is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rothman 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

Rothman 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 Rothman 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 Rothman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rothman

The surname Rothman originated in Germany, with the earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the German words "rot" meaning "red" and "mann" meaning "man," suggesting a possible link to someone with reddish hair or a ruddy complexion.

The name first appeared in various medieval documents from the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. In the 14th century, there are records of a Rothman family residing in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which may have influenced the spelling and adoption of the surname.

One of the earliest documented references to the Rothman name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, where a "Henricus Rothman" is mentioned in a land transaction dated 1328.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the Rothman surname was Johannes Rothman, a German theologian and reformer (1462-1538) who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation alongside Martin Luther.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Johann Rothman, a German astronomer (1608-1684) who made significant contributions to the study of comets and the calculation of their orbits.

During the 17th century, a Rothman family immigrated to the American colonies from Germany, with records indicating their settlement in Pennsylvania. One of their descendants, John Rothman (1770-1845), served as a soldier in the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, a well-known figure was William Rothman (1824-1901), a German-American industrialist who founded the Rothman Knitting Mills in Philadelphia, which became one of the largest textile manufacturers in the United States at the time.

As the name spread across Europe and beyond, variations in spelling emerged, such as Rothmann, Rotmann, and Rottman, reflecting regional linguistic differences and influences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rothman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rothman 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. Lancashire leads with 11 Rothmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.01x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 11 5.01x
Middlesex 6 3.24x
Durham 2 3.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Limehouse London in Middlesex leads with 5 Rothmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 246.31x.

Place Total Index
Limehouse London 5 246.31x
Liverpool 5 37.45x
Hulme 4 87.15x
Bishopwearmouth 2 42.28x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 20.83x
Bethnal Green London 1 12.42x
Rainford 1 416.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Christiana 1
Elizbeth 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Hannister 1
Jane 1
Louiseer 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 4
Charles 1
Christian 1
Gollish 1
Henry 1
James 1
John 1
Wilhelm 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Rothman households.

FAQ

Rothman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rothman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 19 people were recorded with the Rothman surname. That placed it at #30,872 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rothman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 177 in 2016. That gives Rothman a modern rank of #21,230.

What does the Rothman surname mean?

A Jewish occupational surname referring to someone who dyed fabric using the color red.

What does the Rothman map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rothman 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.