Actually, the Red King is not the source for the surname Rexroth. German Emperors Otto I, II, and III were known as the Red Kings because of their red hair and beards. They reigned during the 1300s. The family name during that era is seen in records as von Recherode. The Rexroth spelling appears centuries later as the result of an evolution of spelling. A son of mine is researching Rexroad ancestry in Germany and (so far) has traced them back to 1230. The name von Recherode and an alternative spelling von Rechenroth are believed to stem from the town of Recherode from where the knight Dietrich von Recherode came. The word von means from. Over fifty different spellings of the name have been found in German records. I think it was Nedra who used to remind us that genealogy without documentation is mythology. The Red King thing falls into that category. If anyone is truly interested in the sources for what I have said here, please contact me off-list and I will gladly provide them. Bill Rexroad rexroad3@cox.net