2000
#131,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rottger
A surname derived from a Germanic personal name composed of elements meaning "famous" and "spear".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Rottger. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rottger surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Rottger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rottger, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rottger
The surname ROTTGER originates from Germany, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the German word "rot," meaning "red," and "ger," which is a shortened form of the word "gerber," signifying a tanner or leather worker. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name were likely involved in the tanning or leather-making trade.
ROTTGER is believed to have first appeared in the northern German regions, particularly in the areas around Lower Saxony and Westphalia. Historical records indicate that the name was prominently documented in the city of Münster, where several families with this surname resided during the 16th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ROTTGER can be found in the Münster City Archives, which contains a reference to a certain Johann ROTTGER, who was a respected leather worker and guild member in the year 1549.
In the 17th century, the name ROTTGER gained further recognition when a notable theologian and philosopher, Christoph ROTTGER (1599-1667), made significant contributions to the field of metaphysics and ethics. Born in Münster, he authored several influential works, including "Metaphysica" and "Ethica Christiana."
During the 18th century, the ROTTGER family spread across various regions of Germany, with some members settling in the neighboring Netherlands. One notable figure from this period was Johann Friedrich ROTTGER (1721-1785), a renowned German painter and engraver, known for his landscapes and portraits.
As the 19th century dawned, the surname ROTTGER continued to be associated with various professions and fields. One prominent individual was Karl ROTTGER (1836-1907), a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Reichstag, representing the city of Münster.
Another notable ROTTGER from the same era was Wilhelm ROTTGER (1841-1917), a German industrialist and entrepreneur who played a pivotal role in the development of the steel industry in the Ruhr region.
While the surname ROTTGER has its roots firmly planted in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, its historical significance and association with the leather-making trade and various notable individuals remain an integral part of its rich heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rottger
Among Census respondents with the surname Rottger, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Rottger bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Rottger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.1% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino6.1% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rottger
Rottger appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#125,282
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 137
+18 bearers (+15.1%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 6,084 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-23 bearers (-16.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,213 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #131,366 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #125,282 | 137 | 0.05 | +18 bearers (+15.1%) | Up 6,084 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -23 bearers (-16.8%) | Down 21,213 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Rottger surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #125,282 | #146,495 | -16.9% |
| Count | 137 | 114 | -16.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -23.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rottger bearers went from 137 to 114 (-16.8% change). The surname moved down 21,213 positions in the national ranking, going from #125,282 to #146,495.
FAQ
Rottger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rottger?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Rottger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Rottger?
Rottger ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 114 people with the surname Rottger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Rottger.
Has Rottger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rottger went from 137 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 23 (-16.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #125,282 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Rottger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rottger, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rottger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rottger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.1%), Hispanic (6.1%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Rottger (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Rottger mean?
A surname derived from a Germanic personal name composed of elements meaning "famous" and "spear". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Rottger (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Rottger?
You can see how many people are called Rottger on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.