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

Rothrock, 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 Rothrock surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rothrock in America

Rothrock is the 10172nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rothrock surname appeared 3,172 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Rothrock.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rothrock 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 Rothrock

The surname ROTHROCK is of German origin, with its earliest roots traced back to the 14th century in the region of Bavaria. The name is derived from the German words "rot" meaning red and "rock" referring to a cloak or coat, suggesting that the original bearers of this name may have been associated with the production or trade of red cloaks or coats.

Historical records indicate that the ROTHROCK name first appeared in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the northern part of Bavaria. One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname was Hans Rothrock, a merchant who lived in Rothenburg during the late 1300s. His name is found in the town's tax records from that period.

In the 16th century, the ROTHROCK name began to spread beyond Bavaria as members of the family ventured into other parts of Germany and neighboring regions. Notable individuals from this era include Johann Rothrock, a master blacksmith born in Nuremberg in 1523, and Katharina Rothrock, a respected midwife who lived in the city of Würzburg during the late 1500s.

As the ROTHROCK family expanded, some members eventually made their way to other parts of Europe and beyond. In the late 17th century, Jacob Rothrock, a farmer from the Palatinate region of Germany, immigrated to the British colonies in America, settling in what is now Pennsylvania. He is considered one of the earliest bearers of the ROTHROCK name in the New World.

In the 19th century, several individuals with the ROTHROCK surname achieved prominence in various fields. Abraham Rothrock (1792-1867) was a renowned botanist and naturalist from Pennsylvania, known for his extensive research on the flora of the Appalachian Mountains. Joseph Trimble Rothrock (1839-1922), born in Pennsylvania, was a pioneering conservationist and the first commissioner of forestry in the state.

Another notable figure was John Lewis Rothrock (1832-1911), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War who later served as a member of the Kansas legislature. In Europe, Heinrich Rothrock (1812-1879), a German physician and professor of medicine at the University of Munich, made significant contributions to the field of pathology.

Throughout its history, the ROTHROCK surname has been associated with various occupations, including merchants, artisans, farmers, and professionals in fields such as science, medicine, and public service. While the name has undergone minor variations in spelling over the centuries, its distinct German roots and connection to the production of red cloaks or coats remain a defining aspect of its etymology.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rothrock

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

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

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

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