Welcome toThe Rothschild Archive'swebsite

Sources for business history: plans of New Court

Sources for art history: Catalogue of the pictures of Alfred de Rothschild 1901

Sources for yachting history: Plans for Nathaniel von Rothschild's yacht Veglia 1905

Sources for natural history: Walter 2nd Lord Rothschild and his zebra carriage: c.1910

Sources for global financial history: Map of lines of the Brazil Railway Company: c.1920

Sources for business history: index cards to bank files

Sources for social history: Rothschild Hospital Paris: 1920s

Sources for business history: detail of a Rothschild bond coupon

Sources for architectural history: Halton House: 1890s

Sources for the history of travel: Lionel de Rothschild's tours of Spain: 1909

Sources for local history: Tring Park: c.1900

Sources for Royal history: shooting party with Edward Prince of Wales: 1893

Sources for political history: Lionel de Rothschild: first Jewish MP: 1858

Sources for sporting history: St Amant winner of the Derby: 1904

Sources for local history: gardeners at Aston Clinton: 1899

Sources for Rothschild family history: Lionel de Rothschild's yacht Rhodora: 1927

Sources for London history: entrance to New Court: 1965

Sources for design history: plans for Lionel de Rothschild's Rolls-Royce: 1930

Sources for business history: Rothschild gold bars produced by the Royal Mint Refinery: 1930s

Sources for business history: letters of August Belmont Rothschild Agent in New York: 1860s

Rothschild, de Rothschild, von Rothschild

The five sons of Mayer Amschel Rothschild were placed on the first rung of the nobility by the Austrian Emperor in 1817.

The five sons of Mayer Amschel Rothschild were placed on the first rung of the nobility by the Austrian Emperor in 1817. They were granted the right to armorial bearings, and to use the suffix 'von' in their names. Those members of the family living in Frankfurt and Vienna were thus known as von Rothschild, whereas the Paris, and later the Naples, branches of the family adapted this to the French style 'de' - James de Rothschild, and so on. Their titles were enhanced to 'Baron' in 1822.

In England, Nathan Mayer Rothschild eschewed 'foreign' titles, which anyway would have counted for little. He is reputed to have declared that "plain Mr Rothschild" was good enough for him. His sons thought differently, and successfully applied to use the Austrian title, hence Baron Lionel de Rothschild - using the French style rather than the German one.

Lionel's son, Nathaniel or Natty, became the first Jewish peer in 1885. Somewhat unusually, he chose his own name as his title, and became Lord Rothschild. Thereafter in England, descendants of Lord Rothschild have not used the suffix - Miriam Rothschild, for example - whereas descendants of the first Lord Rothschild's brothers have continued to use 'de' - Edmund de Rothschild, for example.

Nathan Rothschild and his family by Hobday 1823

Nathan Rothschild and his family by Hobday 1823