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

Rothschild, 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 Rothschild surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rothschild in America

Rothschild is the 10795th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rothschild surname appeared 2,954 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 Rothschild.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rothschild 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 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.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rothschild

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

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

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

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