NameCensus.

UK surname

Rothschild

A Jewish surname derived from the German words "rot" (red) and "schild" (shield), referring to the family's heraldic emblem.

In the 1881 census there were 30 people recorded with the Rothschild surname, ranking it #29,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 158, ranked #22,904, up from #29,363 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney, Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rothschild is 159 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 426.7%.

1881 census count

30

Ranked #29,363

Modern count

158

2016, ranked #22,904

Peak year

2015

159 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rothschild had 30 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,363 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016, ranked #22,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 76 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Rothschild surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rothschild surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rothschild 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 36 #26,838
1861 historical 40 #28,970
1881 historical 30 #29,363
1891 historical 57 #29,533
1901 historical 76 #25,734
1911 historical 75 #25,322
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 129 #23,722
1999 modern 137 #23,083
2000 modern 132 #23,562
2001 modern 133 #23,132
2002 modern 128 #24,150
2003 modern 155 #21,217
2004 modern 139 #22,891
2005 modern 140 #22,774
2006 modern 140 #22,948
2007 modern 143 #22,924
2008 modern 146 #22,822
2009 modern 149 #23,031
2010 modern 158 #22,692
2011 modern 147 #23,627
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 155 #23,108
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 159 #22,796
2016 modern 158 #22,904

Geography

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Where Rothschilds 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 Hackney, Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 Hackney 003 Hackney
2 Westminster 011 Westminster
3 Westminster 007 Westminster
4 Hackney 004 Hackney
5 Kensington and Chelsea 007 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rothschild

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rothschild

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Rothschild is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rothschild 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

Rothschild falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rothschild 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 Rothschild, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rothschild

The surname Rothschild originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is a combination of two German words: "rot," meaning red, and "Schild," which refers to a sign or coat of arms. The name is believed to have first been used to identify a family that either lived near a building with a red sign or shield, or perhaps worked as innkeepers and had a red sign or emblem displayed outside their establishment.

One of the earliest known references to the Rothschild name dates back to the late 16th century, when records show a Jewish family with the surname living in the Judengasse (Jewish ghetto) of Frankfurt am Main. This area was known for its red-tiled roofs, which may have contributed to the family's surname.

In the 18th century, the Rothschild family rose to prominence through their successful banking and financial businesses. Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744-1812), the patriarch of the famous Rothschild dynasty, established a banking empire that would become one of the most influential financial institutions in Europe.

Mayer Amschel's sons, including Nathan Mayer Rothschild (1777-1836), who founded the English branch of the family's banking empire, and James Mayer Rothschild (1792-1868), who established the French branch, played significant roles in shaping the family's legacy and wealth.

Other notable figures with the Rothschild surname include Baron Edmond James de Rothschild (1845-1934), a French member of the family who was a prominent philanthropist and supporter of the arts, and Nathaniel Mayer Victor Rothschild (1910-1990), a British scientist and member of the Rothschild banking family.

The Rothschild name has become synonymous with wealth, power, and influence in the financial world, and the family has left an indelible mark on the history of banking and finance across Europe and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rothschild families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rothschild 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 20 Rothschilds recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.84x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 20 6.84x
Surrey 5 3.51x
Devon 2 3.29x
Lancashire 2 0.58x
Nottinghamshire 1 2.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 5 Rothschilds recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.37x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 5 39.37x
Lambeth 4 15.69x
Whitechapel London 4 138.89x
Islington London 2 7.06x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 42.64x
St George Hanover 2 52.36x
West Derby 2 19.70x
Battersea 1 9.29x
Ealing 1 38.31x
Nottingham St Mary 1 9.81x
Shoreditch London 1 7.89x
Spitalfields London 1 45.45x
St George In East 1 50.25x
St George Martyr 1 204.08x
St Pancras London 1 4.25x
Westminster St James 1 33.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Ella 1
Ellis 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Jemima 1
Marie 1

Top male names

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

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 Rothschild households.

FAQ

Rothschild surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rothschild surname in 1881?

In 1881, 30 people were recorded with the Rothschild surname. That placed it at #29,363 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rothschild surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016. That gives Rothschild a modern rank of #22,904.

What does the Rothschild surname mean?

A Jewish surname derived from the German words "rot" (red) and "schild" (shield), referring to the family's heraldic emblem.

What does the Rothschild map show?

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