UK surname
A German and Jewish surname referring to someone who clears woodland, or a topographic name for a dweller by a thicket.
In the 1881 census there were 41 people recorded with the Rotter surname, ranking it #27,870 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 54, ranked #34,678, down from #27,870 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, St Peter and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rotter is 148 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.7%.
1881 census count
41
Ranked #27,870
Modern count
54
2016, ranked #34,678
Peak year
1891
148 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Rotter surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Rotter surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 17 | #30,267 |
| 1861 | historical | 92 | #22,112 |
| 1881 | historical | 41 | #27,870 |
| 1891 | historical | 148 | #18,506 |
| 1901 | historical | 47 | #28,929 |
| 1911 | historical | 77 | #25,106 |
| 1997 | modern | 54 | #32,210 |
| 1998 | modern | 51 | #32,816 |
| 1999 | modern | 54 | #32,660 |
| 2000 | modern | 50 | #33,087 |
| 2001 | modern | 49 | #33,048 |
| 2002 | modern | 51 | #33,193 |
| 2003 | modern | 48 | #33,533 |
| 2004 | modern | 48 | #33,742 |
| 2005 | modern | 44 | #34,255 |
| 2006 | modern | 48 | #34,245 |
| 2007 | modern | 52 | #34,195 |
| 2008 | modern | 55 | #34,165 |
| 2009 | modern | 56 | #34,278 |
| 2010 | modern | 53 | #34,654 |
| 2011 | modern | 43 | #35,228 |
| 2012 | modern | 52 | #34,709 |
| 2013 | modern | 51 | #34,834 |
| 2014 | modern | 53 | #34,753 |
| 2015 | modern | 58 | #34,470 |
| 2016 | modern | 54 | #34,678 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, St Peter, Manchester, Lambeth and Loose, East Farleigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton | Staffordshire |
| 2 | St Peter | Derbyshire |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | Loose, East Farleigh | Kent |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Rotter surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rotter, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Rotter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Rotter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Rotter is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rotter is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Rotter, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Rotter is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Middle High German word "rotær," which translates to "a person who clears land or clears away obstructions." This occupational surname was likely given to those who worked as land clearers or foresters, contributing to the development of new settlements and agricultural lands.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Rotter can be found in various German regional records and chronicles from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable early reference is in the Würzburg Codex, a collection of legal documents from the city of Würzburg, where a certain "Heinrich Rotter" is mentioned in an entry dated 1287.
In the 15th century, the name appears in the Nuremberg Chronicles, a renowned illustrated world history published in 1493. Here, a "Hans Rotter" is listed among the citizens of the city of Nuremberg.
As the name spread across German-speaking regions, variations in spelling emerged, including Rötter, Roetter, and Rödter. These variations often reflected regional linguistic differences and dialects.
Notable individuals with the surname Rotter include:
1. Johann Rotter (c. 1540-1617), a German theologian and author of several religious works. 2. Wilhelm Rotter (1801-1871), a German painter known for his landscapes and portraits. 3. Hans Rotter (1858-1926), a Swiss architect and urban planner who contributed to the design of several notable buildings in Zurich. 4. Juliane Rotter (1883-1964), a German novelist and children's book author. 5. Karl Rotter (1891-1968), an Austrian engineer and inventor, best known for his contributions to the development of the rotary engine.
As the centuries passed, the Rotter surname spread beyond German-speaking regions, carried by emigrants and settlers to various parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas and other continents.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rotter surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Gloucestershire leads with 8 Rotters recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.20x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Gloucestershire | 8 | 10.20x |
| Hampshire | 8 | 9.76x |
| Surrey | 8 | 4.11x |
| Middlesex | 7 | 1.75x |
| Devon | 3 | 3.60x |
| Staffordshire | 3 | 2.22x |
| Yorkshire | 3 | 0.76x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.21x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheltenham in Gloucestershire leads with 8 Rotters recorded in 1881 and an index of 132.23x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cheltenham | 8 | 132.23x |
| Lambeth | 7 | 20.07x |
| Crondall | 6 | 1363.64x |
| Hammersmith London | 6 | 60.91x |
| Axminster | 3 | 769.23x |
| Manningham | 3 | 61.48x |
| Wolverhampton | 3 | 28.90x |
| Portsea | 2 | 12.45x |
| Cheetham | 1 | 28.25x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 4.46x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 1 | 12.42x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Rotter surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Rotter surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Rotter households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 10 |
| (Gen) Dealer Methodist Reader | 1 |
| Accountant | 1 |
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Dealer Wife | 1 |
| Excavator | 1 |
| Farm Bailiff | 1 |
| Farm Bailiff Wife | 1 |
| Gen Labourer | 1 |
| Iron Moulder | 1 |
| Laborer | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Railway Clerk | 1 |
| Secretary Of Liebigs Comps | 1 |
| Stover (Japan) | 1 |
| Waiter (Domestic Servant) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 41 people were recorded with the Rotter surname. That placed it at #27,870 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 54 in 2016. That gives Rotter a modern rank of #34,678.
A German and Jewish surname referring to someone who clears woodland, or a topographic name for a dweller by a thicket.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rotter bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.