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Rotan Family History

Rotan Surname Meaning

Probably an altered form of German Rothan a nickname meaning ‘red John’ for someone with red hair from Middle High German rōt ‘red’

+ Han a short form of Johannes.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Rotan family from?

You can see how Rotan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rotan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rotan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 9 Rotan families living in Ontario. This was about 82% of all the recorded Rotan's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Rotan families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rotan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Rotan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Rotan. 34% of Rotan men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Rotan women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rotan were Teacher and Waitress.

View Census Data for Rotan | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    34%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Teacher
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    50%
  • Waitress
    50%

What Rotan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Rotan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rotan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Rotan

Passenger Lists

There are 443 immigration records available for the last name Rotan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Rotan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 590 military records available for the last name Rotan. For the veterans among your Rotan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rotan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rotan family history

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What is the average Rotan lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Rotan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Rotan in 1961 was 60, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rotan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rotan ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Rotan family tree

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