Surname Rotkehl - Meaning and Origin
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Rotkehl: What does the surname Rotkehl mean?
The last name Rotkehl is an occupational surname derived from the German word “rotkievel” which means tilemaker. It likely refers to an ancestor who worked in the tiling trade. It is believed that the name originated in the Palatinate region of Germany, in the lower kingdoms of Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg. The name is derived from the Middle High German word “Kiebelone” which combines the elements “kiefel,” meaning tile or flat stone, and the suffix “-el” denoting “little.” The name may also have been derived from the Old German word ‘Paul” meaning little and “vogel” meaning bird; the combination of the two signifying “little bird/pheasant” and likely referring to a specific smaller variety of tile-making or to the bird feathers used as stuffing in tiling.
The name Rotkehl is relatively uncommon, and is primarily found in the Palatinate region of southwestern Germany. It is also found in parts of Switzerland, Austria, and the United States. Today, descendants of the Rotkehl family can be found in various regions around the world. Despite its rarity, the name is still found in various parts of the world, and is likely to endure for many generations to come.
Order DNA origin analysisRotkehl: Where does the name Rotkehl come from?
The last name Rotkehl is most commonly found in Germany today, and particularly in the state of Baden-Württemberg. It is a relatively uncommon name, as it does not show up on statistically significant lists of German surnames.
Despite its relatively low frequency, the name has been around for centuries in Germany. A text from the 16th century mentions a noble family by the name Rotkehl, and it is believed that this family’s descendants represent a majority of contemporary Rotkehl’s. It is also possible that some Rotkehl’s are the descendants of emigrants that left Germany in the 19th century.
The language of origin is German, and the roughly literal translation of Rotkehl would be “Red Throat,” referencing the red collared neck ornament historically worn by some people in Germany.
The name is still relatively uncommon today, with less than 500 people bearing it in Germany according to current population data. Due to the name’s rarity, it is possible but unconfirmed that outside of Germany, there may be some Rotkehl’s in other countries to which the name spread either through emigration or from a name change in the distant past.
Variations of the surname Rotkehl
The surname Rotkehl is an German last name, derived from the word "Rotkehl" which literally means "red throat" in German. The surname is also spelled as Rötkehl, Rotkeil, Rothkehl, and Rothkeil, and is sometimes also seen in the variants Rotkoppel, Rotköppel, and Rothkoppler.
The surname is usually found in northern Germany, particularly around the Thuringia area. The surname is also occasionally found in other areas of Germany as well, such as Bavaria and Saxony. It is also found sporadically in the south-western corner of Poland.
There are a few variants of the surname, such as Ruttkopf and Rutköppel, however, these are usually not related to the Rotkehl surname but may have come from even deeper in German language history.
In the United States, some of the variations of the surname Rotkehl, including, Rahts, Rahtschel, Ratko, Redkels, as well as the spelling variation Rothkoppler, are found in the US census records.
Outside of Europe, the surname Rotkehl has recently been found in Argentina. Some families may have come to Argentina from Germany and other parts of Europe, thus bringing with them this surname.
Overall, while the spelling and surnames of the same origin may vary due to spelling mistakes and language influences over time, the surname Rotkehl most likely originated from the same root source.
Famous people with the name Rotkehl
1.Johann Daniel Rotkehl: German paleontologist and zoologist 2.William Rotkehl: Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright 3.George Rotkehl: Civil War Medal of Honor recipient 4.Heinrich Rotkehl: German entomologist and zoologist 5.Joe Rotkehl: German-born American former gangster 6.Lew Rotkehl: American artist 7.Hans Rotkehl: German Roman Catholic Bishop 8.Adam Rotkehl: German composer, organist and choirmaster 9.Otto Rotkehl: Austrian major-general and governor of Styria 10.Gustav Rotkehl: German Lutheran theologian