Rothschild () is a name derived from the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

''zum rothen Schild'' (with the old spelling "th"), meaning "to the red shield", in reference to the houses where these family members lived or had lived. At the time, houses were designated by signs with different symbols or colors, not numbers. The name ''Rothschild'' in

Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...

means "red coat" (coat as in heraldic

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

). The Rothschild banking family's coat of arms features in the center of its

heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and genealo ...

a red

shield A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry like spears or long ranged projectiles suc ...

People

The most notable family of people with this surname are descendants of

Mayer Amschel Rothschild Mayer Amschel Rothschild (23 February 1744 – 19 September 1812; also spelled ''Anschel'') was a German-Jewish banker and the founder of the Rothschild family, Rothschild banking dynasty. Referred to as a "founding father of international fin ...

who formed a financial dynasty and, in modern history, perhaps the wealthiest family by the scale of their private fortune. In

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

, by royal

decree A decree is a law, legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state, judge, monarch, royal figure, or other relevant Authority, authorities, according to certain procedures. These procedures are usually defined by the constitution, Legislativ ...

of 29 March 1814, all Danish Jews were obliged to adopt a surname after their town of residence. In the records, one family with residence in

Roskilde Roskilde ( , ) is a city west of Copenhagen on the Danish island of Zealand. With a population of 53,354 (), the city is a business and educational centre for the region and the 10th largest city in Denmark. It is governed by the administrative ...

took the name Rothschild, presumably because of the German pronunciation of the town's name. The mother of writer

Meïr Aron Goldschmidt Meïr Aron Goldschmidt (October 26, 1819 – August 15, 1887) was a Danish publisher, journalist and novelist. He was the founding editor of the satirical and political magazine '' Corsaren''. Biography Goldschmidt was born in Vordingborg, ...

, Lea Rothschild (born 1797), was of that family. There are no indications that the Rothschilds of Roskilde had any relation with the other Rothschild families. The name is also carried by others, mostly

Ashkenazi Jews Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium CE. They traditionally speak Yiddish, a language ...

, who are not related to members of the banking family.

People outside the banking family

* Abram M. Rothschild (1863–1902), American businessman and founder of A. M. Rothschild & Company Store * Abraham Rothschild (1854–1877), American traveling salesman and murderer of Diamond Bessie. * Alonzo Rothschild (1862–1915) parents unknown, son, John fared well in the travel industry, wrote the book "Honest Abe." *

Amalie Rothschild Amalie Rothschild (January 1, 1916 – November 4, 2001) was an American artist who lived and worked within the art community of Baltimore, Maryland. An accomplished painter and sculptor, she was also an art teacher, philanthropist, patron, an ...

(1916–2001), American artist *

Bruce Lee Rothschild Bruce Lee Rothschild (born August 26, 1941) is an American mathematician and educator, specializing in combinatorial mathematics. He is a professor emeritus of mathematics at the University of California, Los Angeles. Early life and education Ro ...

(born 1941), American mathematician *

Daniel Rothschild (philosopher) Daniel Henry Rothschild (born 1979) is an American philosopher and Professor of Philosophy of Language at University College London Department of Philosophy. He is known for his expertise on philosophy of language. Rothschild has held various fe ...

(born 1979), American philosopher * Daniel Rothschild (general) (born 1946), Israeli major general * Dorothy Rothschild, better known as

Dorothy Parker Dorothy Parker (née Rothschild; August 22, 1893 – June 7, 1967) was an American poet and writer of fiction, plays and screenplays based in New York; she was known for her caustic wisecracks, and eye for 20th-century urban foibles. Parker ros ...

(1893–1967), American poet and writer * Eva Rothschild (born 1971), Irish artist based in London * Friedrich S. Rothschild (1899–1995), German-Jewish psychiatrist and semiotician *

Geoffrey Rothschild Geoffrey Rothschild (born 1947) is a South African businessman. He is the former chairman of JSE Limited. Early life Geoffrey Rothschild was born on March 20, 1947, in Johannesburg, South Africa. He graduated from the University of the Witwatersr ...

(born 1947), South African businessman, former chairman of

JSE Limited JSE Limited (previously the JSE Securities Exchange and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange) is the largest stock exchange in Africa. It is located in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, after it moved from downtown Johannesburg in 2000. In 2003 ...

. *

Jean Maurice Rothschild Jean-Maurice Rothschild (1902–1998) was an interior designer and furniture artist, whose most famous works were for the cruise liner Normandie, and the restaurant of the Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; ) is a wrought-iron lattice t ...

(1902–1998), French furniture designer * Jeffrey J. Rothschild (b. 1954), American billionaire entrepreneur and business executive; Vice President of Infrastructure Software for Facebook. *

Jonathan Rothschild Jonathan Rothschild (born 1955) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 41st mayor of Tucson, Arizona from 2011 to 2019. From 2001 to 2011, Rothschild was managing partner at the law firm Mesch Clark Rothschild. Early life and ed ...

(born 1955), American (Arizona) lawyer and politician, mayor of Tucson *

Joseph Rothschild Joseph Arthur Rothschild (April 5, 1931, at Fulda, Germany – January 30, 2000, at New York City) was an American professor of history and political science at Columbia University, specializing in Central European and Eastern European history. ...

(1931–2000), American historian *

Larry Rothschild Lawrence Lee Rothschild (born March 12, 1954) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, coach, and manager. Rothschild played for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1981 and 1982. He has coached for the Cincinnati ...

(born 1954), American Baseball pitcher and manager * Louis F. Rothschild (1869–1957), founder of the defunct L.F. Rothschild merchant and investment banking firm * Lynn J. Rothschild (born 1957), American evolutionary biologist and astrobiologist * Michael Rothschild (born 1942), American economist, former dean at Princeton *

Michelle Rothschild-Patterson Michelle Rothschild-Patterson ( Rothschild; born November 17, 1951), also known as Sister Patterson, is known for her work in reality television and for being the mother of reality TV personality Tiffany Pollard, Tiffany "New York" Pollard, whom ...

(born 1951), American television personality better known as Sister Patterson * Robert Rothschild (1911–1978), Belgian diplomat (descendant of Amschel Moses Rothschild) * Samuel Rothschild (1899–1987), Canadian ice hockey player * Simon F. Rothschild (1861–1936), American businessman Chair

Abraham & Straus Abraham & Straus, commonly shortened to A&S, was a major New York City department store, based in Brooklyn. Founded in 1865, it became part of Federated Department Stores in 1929. Shortly after Federated's 1994 acquisition of R.H. Macy & Compan ...

* Victor Henry Rothschild (1835–1911), American businessman

People of the banking family

A

* Adèle von Rothschild (1843–1922), German socialite, daughter of Mayer Carl von Rothschild and wife of her 2nd cousin Salomon James de Rothschild * Adelheid von Rothschild (1853–1935), daughter of Wilhelm Carl von Rothschild * Albert Salomon Anselm von Rothschild (1844–1911), Austrian banker, son of Anselm von Rothschild *

Alfred de Rothschild Alfred Charles ''Freiherr'' de Rothschild, CVO (20 July 1842 – 31 January 1918), was an English banker and art collector who was director of the Bank of England from 1868–89. A member of the Rothschild family, he was the second son of Lion ...

(1842–1918), English banker, son of Lionel de Rothschild *

Alice Charlotte von Rothschild Alice Charlotte von Rothschild (17 February 1847 – 3 May 1922), otherwise referred to as 'Miss Alice', was a socialite and member of the Rothschild banking family of Austria. Born in Frankfurt, she was the eighth and youngest child of Anselm ...

(1847–1922), Austrian socialite, daughter of Anselm von Rothschild * Aline Caroline de Rothschild (1867–1909), French socialite, daughter of Baron Gustave de Rothschild * Alphonse James de Rothschild (1827–1905), French businessman and philanthropist, son of James Mayer de Rothschild * Amschel Mayor James Rothschild (1955–1996), British businessman, son of Victor Rothschild * Amschel Mayer von Rothschild (1773–1855), German banker, son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild * Amschel Moses Rothschild (c. 1710–1755), German trader, father of Mayer Amschel Rothschild * Anselm von Rothschild (1803–1874), Austrian banker, son of Salomon Mayer von Rothschild * Anthony Gustav de Rothschild (1887–1961), British banker, son of Leopold de Rothschild * Anthony James de Rothschild (b. 1977), British businessman, son of Evelyn Robert de Rothschild * Anthony Nathan de Rothschild (1810–1876), British banker, son of Nathan Mayer Rothschild * Ariane de Rothschild (née Langner 1965), French banker, wife of Benjamin de Rothschild * Arthur de Rothschild (1851–1903), French socialite, son of Nathaniel and Charlotte de Rothschild

B

Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild Charlotte Béatrice de Rothschild (; 14 September 1864 – 7 April 1934) was a French socialite, art collector, and a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of France. Early life Charlotte, known as Béatrice, was born in Paris, ...

(1864–1934), French socialite and art collector, daughter of Alphonse James de Rothschild * Benjamin de Rothschild (1963–2021), Swiss banker, son of Edmond Adolphe de Rothschild * Bethsabée de Rothschild (1914–1999), Jewish philanthropist, daughter of Édouard Alphonse de Rothschild * Bettina Caroline de Rothschild (1858–1892, French socialite, daughter of Alphonse James de Rothschild, wife of her cousin Albert Salomon von Rothschild * Betty von Rothschild, Baronne de Rothschild (1805–1886), French socialite, daughter of

Salomon Mayer von Rothschild Salomon Mayer Freiherr von Rothschild (9 September 1774 – 28 July 1855) was a Frankfurt-born banker in the Austrian Empire and the founder of the Austrian branch of the prominent Rothschild family. Family Born as Salomon Mayer Rothschild in ...

, wife of her uncle

James Mayer de Rothschild Baron James Mayer de Rothschild (born Jakob Mayer Rothschild; 15 May 1792 – 15 November 1868) was a French banker and the founder of the French branch of the prominent Rothschild family. He was born in the Holy Roman Empire. Early life He ...

C

Carl Mayer von Rothschild Carl Mayer Freiherr von Rothschild (24 April 1788 – 10 March 1855) was a Frankfurt-born banker in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the founder of the Neopolitan branch of the prominent Rothschild family. Life and career Born as Kalman Ma ...

(1788–1855), German banker, son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild * Cécile de Rothschild (1913–1995), French socialite and friend of

Greta Garbo Greta Garbo (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson; 18 September 1905 – 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress and a premier star during Hollywood's Silent film, silent and early Classical Hollywood cinema, golden eras. Regarded as one of the g ...

, daughter of Robert Philippe de Rothschild *

Charles Rothschild Nathaniel Charles Rothschild (9 May 1877 – 12 October 1923) was an English banker and entomologist and a member of the Rothschild family. He is remembered for 'the Rothschild List', a list he made in 1915 of 284 sites across Britain that he c ...

(1877–1923), English banker and

entomologist Entomology (from Ancient Greek ἔντομον (''éntomon''), meaning "insect", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study") is the branch of zoology that focuses on insects. Those who study entomology are known as entomologists. In ...

, son of Nathan, 1st Baron Rothschild * Charlotte de Rothschild (1825–1899), French socialite and painter, daughter of James Mayer de Rothschild, wife of her cousin Nathaniel de Rothschild * Charlotte von Rothschild (1819–1884), British socialite, daughter of Carl Mayer von Rothschild, wife of her first cousin Lionel de Rothschild * Charlotte Henriette de Rothschild (b. 1955), British singer, daughter of Edmund Leopold de Rothschild * Charlotte Nathan Rothschild (1807–1859), British socialite, daughter of

Nathan Mayer Rothschild Nathan Mayer Rothschild (16 September 1777 – 28 July 1836), also known as Baron Nathan Mayer Rothschild, was a British-German banker, businessman and finance, financier. Born in Free City of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, he was the third of ...

, wife of her first cousin Anselm von Rothschild

D

* David Mayer de Rothschild (b. 1978), British adventurer, ecologist, and environmentalist, son of Evelyn Robert de Rothschild *

David René de Rothschild Baron David René James de Rothschild (; born December 15, 1942) is a French banker and a member of the French branch of the Rothschild family. Since 2018, he is supervisory board chairman of Rothschild & Co and chairman of Rothschild Continuat ...

(b. 1942), French banker, son of Guy de Rothschild *

Dorothy de Rothschild Dorothy de Rothschild (née Pinto; 7 March 1895 – 10 December 1988) was an English philanthropist and activist for Jewish affairs who married into the wealthy Rothschild banking family. Mathilde Dorothy Pinto was born on 7 March 1895 in Lond ...

(née Pinto 1895–1988), English philanthropist, wife of James Armand de Rothschild

E

Edmond Adolphe de Rothschild Baron Edmond Adolphe Maurice Jules Jacques de Rothschild or Baron Edmond de Rothschild (30 September 1926 – 2 November 1997) was a French-Swiss banker, the founder of the Edmond de Rothschild Group in 1953. His investments extended to vineyards ...

(1926–1997), French-Swiss banker *

Edmond James de Rothschild Baron Abraham Edmond Benjamin James de Rothschild (; 19 August 1845 – 2 November 1934) was a French member of the Rothschild banking family. A strong supporter of Jewish settlement in Palestine, his large donations lent significant support to ...

(1845–1934), French banker, son of James Mayer de Rothschild * Edmund Leopold de Rothschild (1916–2009), British banker, son of Lionel Nathan de Rothschild *

Édouard de Rothschild Baron Édouard Étienne Alphonse de Rothschild (; born 27 December 1957) is a businessman and part of the French branch of the Rothschild family. Early life and education Édouard de Rothschild was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine. He ...

(b. 1957), French businessman and equestrian, son of Guy de Rothschild * Edouard Alphonse de Rothschild (1868–1949), French financier, son of Alphonse James de Rothschild * Élie de Rothschild (1917–2007), French banker, son of Robert Philippe de Rothschild * Elisabeth de Rothschild (née de Chambure 1902–1945), French vintner, wife of Philippe de Rothschild * Emma Georgina Rothschild (b. 1948), British historian and professor, daughter of Victor Rothschild * Evelina de Rothschild (1839–1866), English socialite, daughter of Lionel de Rothschild, wife of her 2nd cousin Ferdinand James von Rothschild * Evelyn Achille de Rothschild (1886–1917), British banker, son of Leopold de Rothschild *

Evelyn Robert de Rothschild Sir Evelyn Robert Adrian de Rothschild (29 August 1931 – 7 November 2022) was a British financier and a member of the Rothschild family. Early life Evelyn de Rothschild was born on 29 August 1931, to a Jewish family. The son of Anthony Gu ...

(1931-2022), British financier, son of Anthony Gustav de Rothschild

F

* Ferdinand James von Rothschild (1839–1898), British politician and art collector, son of Anselm von Rothschild

G

Guy de Rothschild Baron Guy Édouard Alphonse Paul de Rothschild (; 21 May 1909 – 12 June 2007) was a French banker and member of the Rothschild banking family of France. Between 1967 and 1979, he was the chairman of the French Banque Rothschild, nationalized by ...

(1909–2007), French banker, son of Édouard Alphonse de Rothschild

H

* Hannah Rothschild (b. 1962), British writer, businesswoman, philanthropist and documentary filmmaker. Daughter of Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild * Hannah de Rothschild, Countess of Rosebery (1851–1890), British philanthropist, daughter of Mayer Amschel de Rothschild *

Hélène de Rothschild Helene or Hélène may refer to: People * Helene (name), and Hélène, a female given name, including a list of people with the name * Hélène (singer) (Hélène Rollès, born 1966), French actress and singer * Helen of Troy, a figure in Greek ...

, better known as Hélène van Zuylen (1863–1947), French socialite and author, daughter of Salomon James de Rothschild

J

Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild Nathaniel Charles Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild (29 April 1936 – 26 February 2024), was a British hereditary peer, investment banker and member of the Rothschild banking family. Rothschild held important roles in business and Britis ...

(1936–2024), British banker, son of Victor Rothschild * Jacqueline de Rothschild (1911–2012), French-born American chess and tennis player, daughter of Édouard Alphonse de Rothschild * James Armand de Rothschild (1878–1957), British politician and philanthropist, son of son of Edmond James de Rothschild *

(born Jakob Rothschild 1792–1868), German-French banker, son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild * Jeanne de Rothschild, née Stuart (1908–2003), British actress, wife of Baron Eugène Daniel von Rothschild

L

* Leonora de Rothschild (1837–1911), British socialite, daughter of

Lionel de Rothschild Baron Lionel Nathan de Rothschild (22 November 1808 – 3 June 1879) was a British Jewish banker, politician and philanthropist who was a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of England. He became the first practising Jew to sit a ...

, wife of Alphonse James de Rothschild * Leopold de Rothschild (1845–1917), British banker and horse breeder, son of Lionel de Rothschild * Leopold David de Rothschild (1927–2012), British financier and musician, son of Lionel Nathan de Rothschild *

(1808–1879), British banker and politician, son of Nathan Mayer Rothschild * Lionel Nathan de Rothschild (1882–1942), British banker and politician, son of Leopold de Rothschild * Louis Nathaniel de Rothschild (1882–1955), Austrian baron, son of Albert Salomon von Rothschild * Lynn Forester de Rothschild (née Forester, b. 1954), American businesswoman, wife of Evelyn Robert de Rothschild

M

* Marie-Hélène de Rothschild (1927–1996), French socialite, granddaughter of Hélène de Rothschild and wife of Guy de Rothschild * Mathilde Hannah von Rothschild (1832–1924), German baroness and composer, daughter of Anselm von Rothschild, wife of her 2nd cousin Wilhelm Carl von Rothschild *

(1744–1812), German banker and founder of the Rothschild banking dynasty * Mayer Amschel de Rothschild (1818–1874), British politician, son of Nathan Mayer Rothschild *

Miriam Rothschild Dame Miriam Louisa Rothschild (5 August 1908 – 20 January 2005) was a British natural scientist and author with contributions to zoology, entomology, and botany. Early life Miriam Rothschild was born in 1908 in Ashton, North Northamptonshire ...

(1908–2005), British naturalist and author, daughter of Charles Rothschild

N

Nadine de Rothschild Nadine de Rothschild (née Nadine Nelly Jeannette Lhopitalier; born 18 April 1932) is a French author and former actress. She is the widow of banker Edmond Adolphe de Rothschild, a member of the Rothschild family. Biography Nadine Lhopitalier ...

(née Lhopitalier; born 1932), French author and actress, wife of Edmond Adolphe de Rothschild *

(1777–1836), Jewish banker, son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild * Nathan Mayer Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild (1840–1915), British banker and politician, son of Lionel de Rothschild * Nathaniel de Rothschild (1812–1870), French banker, businessman, and wine maker, son of Nathan Mayer Rothschild * Nathaniel Meyer von Rothschild (1836–1905), Austrian socialite, son of Anselm von Rothschild * Nathaniel Philip Victor James Rothschild, 5th Baron Rothschild (born 1971), a British financier, son of Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild * Pannonica "Nica" Rothschild (1913–1988), jazz patroness and writer, daughter of Charles Rothschild

P

* Pauline de Rothschild (née Potter, 1908–1976), French writer and fashion designer, wife of Philippe de Rothschild *

Philippe de Rothschild Philippe, Baron de Rothschild (13 April 1902 – 20 January 1988) was a member of the Rothschild banking family who became a Grand Prix motor racing driver, a screenwriter and playwright, a theatrical producer, a film producer, a poet, and one ...

(1902–1988), French race car driver, screenwriter, producer, and wine grower, son of Henri de Rothschild *

Philippine de Rothschild Philippine Mathilde Camille, Baroness de Rothschild (22 November 1933 – 23 August 2014) was the owner of the French winery Château Mouton Rothschild. She acted under the stage name Philippine Pascal (imprinting on her paternal grandfather Henr ...

(1933–2014), French actress and wine grower, daughter of Philippe de Rothschild

S

* Salomon James de Rothschild (1835–1864), son of James Mayer de Rothschild *

(1774–1855), German banker, son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild * Serena Dunn Rothschild (née Dunn, 1935-2019), wife of Jacob, 4th Baron Rothschild

V

Victor Rothschild, 3rd Baron Rothschild Nathaniel Mayer Victor Rothschild, 3rd Baron Rothschild, (31 October 1910 – 20 March 1990), was a British scientist, intelligence officer during World War II, and later a senior executive with Royal Dutch Shell and N M Rothschild & Sons, a ...

(1910–1990), a British biologist and cricketer, son of Charles Rothschild

W

Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild Lionel Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild, Baron de Rothschild, (8 February 1868 – 27 August 1937) was a British banker, politician, zoology, zoologist, and soldier, who was a member of the Rothschild family. As a Zionist leader, he wa ...

(1868–1937), British banker, politician, and zoologist, son of Nathan, 1st Baron Rothschild * Wilhelm Carl von Rothschild (1828–1901), German banker, son of Carl Mayer von Rothschild

Fictional characters

* Winston Rothschild III (fictional character from ''The Red Green Show'')

References

Bibliography

*Hanks, Patrick ''Dictionary of American Family Names'' Oxford University Press {{Surname Surnames of Jewish origin Yiddish-language surnames ru:Ротшильды