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

Rotar, 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 Rotar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rotar in America

Rotar is the 44653rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rotar surname appeared 481 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 Rotar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rotar 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 Rotar

The surname Rotar has its origins in Eastern Europe, particularly in the regions of present-day Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia. It first emerged in the late 15th century and is derived from the Slavic word "rotar," which means "wheelwright" or a maker of wheels for carts and wagons.

This occupational surname likely originated from a family whose primary trade was crafting wheels and other woodwork related to transportation. In the medieval period, surnames were often adopted based on one's profession or occupation, particularly in rural areas where such trades were essential to the local economy.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Rotar can be found in various historical documents from the regions of Slovenia and Croatia. One notable example is the appearance of the name in the Viennese census records of 1547, where several families bearing the surname Rotar were listed as residents of the city.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Rotar began to spread beyond its initial geographic confines, with bearers of the name found in other parts of Eastern and Central Europe. One prominent individual from this period was Janez Rotar, a Slovenian painter and etcher who lived from 1572 to 1650 and was renowned for his religious works.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Rotar continued to be associated with various notable figures. In the 19th century, Jožef Rotar (1810-1875) was a Slovenian writer and editor who played a significant role in the development of Slovenian literature and language.

Another prominent bearer of the surname was Mihael Rotar (1850-1922), a Croatian painter and illustrator who gained recognition for his depictions of rural life and landscapes in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

In the 20th century, Ivan Rotar (1923-2007) was a Serbian sculptor and academic who made significant contributions to the art world through his avant-garde sculptures and teachings at the University of Belgrade.

Lastly, Branko Rotar (1936-2017) was a Slovenian film director and screenwriter whose works explored themes of social commentary and often portrayed the struggles of ordinary people in the former Yugoslavia.

While the surname Rotar has its roots in Eastern Europe, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities, carrying with it the rich history and legacy of its wheelwright origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rotar

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

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 Rotar 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 Rotar 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 Rotar was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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