Rothschild (variant: Rothchild)'s a German surname. It's a habitational name from a house distinguished with a red sign (Middle High German rot (or roth)= "red" + schild = "sign", "shield"), the earliest recorded example dating from the 13th century. The standard German pronunciation's (approximately "Rote-shilt"), with the s part of the second syllable schild. In English the surname's usually "Roth-child" or /ˈrɒθs.tʃaɪld/ "Roth's-child". The German surnames "Rothschi… (More on Rothschild)