Find out how popular the last name Rotan is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Rotan.

Rotan, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Rotan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rotan in America

Rotan is the 50106th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rotan surname appeared 418 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Rotan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rotan to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Rotan

The surname ROTAN has its origins in the Netherlands, dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch word 'roten', which means 'to rot' or 'to decay'. This suggests that the name may have been originally associated with occupations related to the processing of decaying materials or waste.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the ROTAN surname can be found in the Dutch municipal records of the city of Amsterdam in the year 1598, where a certain Jan ROTAN is listed as a resident. Additionally, the name appears in the parish records of the town of Leiden in the early 17th century, indicating its presence in different regions of the Netherlands during that time period.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, several notable individuals bearing the ROTAN surname emerged. One such figure was Pieter ROTAN (1635-1701), a Dutch merchant and shipowner who played a significant role in the thriving maritime trade of the time. Another notable ROTAN was Adriaan ROTAN (1719-1784), a renowned artist and engraver whose works were highly sought after by collectors and art enthusiasts of the era.

As the Dutch colonized various parts of the world, the ROTAN surname spread to other regions. In the late 18th century, a family by the name of ROTAN settled in the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia), where they established a successful trading company. One of their descendants, Willem ROTAN (1812-1879), became a prominent figure in the colonial administration and served as the governor of the Moluccas Islands.

The ROTAN surname also found its way to the United States, where it can be traced back to the early 19th century. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of John ROTAN (1787-1865), a farmer and landowner in the state of Virginia. His son, Samuel ROTAN (1821-1898), became a prominent lawyer and politician, serving as a member of the Texas House of Representatives during the Reconstruction era.

Another notable figure bearing the ROTAN surname was Henry ROTAN (1836-1912), a successful businessman and banker who played a significant role in the economic development of Dallas, Texas. He founded the Rotan Grocery Company, which grew to become one of the largest wholesale grocery companies in the state.

Throughout its history, the ROTAN surname has been associated with various occupations, ranging from merchants and artists to politicians and business leaders. While its origins may have been humble, the name has left its mark across different regions and cultures, reflecting the diverse journeys and contributions of those who have carried it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rotan

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Rotan.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Rotan was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Rotan has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Rotan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Rotan, please contact us.

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