Explore the Family Name Rothschild
The meaning of Rothschild
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by a red sign (Middle High German rōt ‘red’ + schilt ‘sign, shield’), the earliest recorded example dating from the 13th century. The famous banking family of this name took it from a house so marked in the Jewish quarter of Frankfurt-am-Main, but the name has also been adopted by many Ashkenazic Jews unrelated to the family. In Britain, the surname is normally given the spelling pronunciation ‘Roths-child’; the original pronunciation is ‘Rote-shilt’. History: The Rothschild dynasty of bankers was founded by Meyer Amschel Rothschild (1744–1812). He abandoned his original intention to become a rabbi after his father’s early death, and became a factor to the landgrave of Hesse-Kassel. His five sons established branches of the banking business, and of the family, in Vienna, London, Naples, and Paris. They were made barons of the Habsburg Empire; successive generations in Britain produced the first practicing Jew to sit in Parliament and the first to be raised to the peerage. Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Benno, Hans, Fritz, Herta, Erna, Ernst, Heinz, Hermann, Ilse, Klaus, Siegbert.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rothschild in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Rothschild experienced a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Rothschild was ranked 10,010 in terms of popularity, but this dropped to 10,795 in 2010, marking a decrease of 7.84%. The number of people bearing the Rothschild name also fell by 0.54% during this period, from 2,970 to 2,954. Additionally, the proportion per 100,000 people with this surname decreased by 9.09%, from 1.1 in 2000 to 1.0 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,010 | #10,795 | -7.84% |
| Count | 2,970 | 2,954 | -0.54% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.1 | 1 | -9.09% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rothschild
When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the Rothschild surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some fluctuation between 2000 and 2010. The majority of individuals with this surname identified as White, making up 92.09% in 2000 and 91.10% in 2010. However, the percentage of those identifying as Hispanic saw the largest growth, increasing by 91.30% to reach 2.64% in 2010. Those identifying as two or more races also increased from 1.11% to 1.25%. The percentage of Black individuals with this surname slightly declined from 4.81% to 4.37%, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native category remained at zero. Data for Asians/Pacific Islanders was suppressed in 2000 for privacy reasons, but showed a 0.64% representation in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.09% | 91.1% | -1.08% |
| Black | 4.81% | 4.37% | -9.15% |
| Hispanic | 1.38% | 2.64% | 91.3% |
| Two or More Races | 1.11% | 1.25% | 12.61% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.64% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Rothschild ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Rothschild is Ashkenazi Jewish, which comprises 51.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (21.1%) and French & German (14.0%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, and Chinese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 51.2% |
| British & Irish | 21.1% |
| French & German | 14.0% |
| Other | 13.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Rothschild
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Rothschild have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 52.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 52.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 52.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 51.40% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 51.40% |
What Rothschild haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Rothschild is J-M67, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-M67 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and J-CTS5368, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Weisberg, Edelman, Wiener, Rabin, Spector, Weintraub, Markowitz, Eid, Berkowitz, Dubin.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Rothschild surname are: H1, N, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Rothschild have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Rothschild" Surname 39.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Rothschild" Surname 24.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Vitamin Use
Takes vitamins on a regular basis.
"Rothschild" Surname 48.3%
23andMe Users 45.5%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Rothschild" Surname 20.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Rothschild?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Rothschild are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition