"nach Psylv" ... "Ist ins neue Land"

During the second quarter of the 18th century, three male Rothenhöfers are known to have emigrated to the New World. One Andreas Rodenhauser/Rotheneffer/Rotheheffer (depending on which ship's list is read) arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1738 aboard the Elizabeth. Andreas resided in Rappenau prior to his emigration. Andreas settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Colony.

Four years later, in 1742, a David Rotheheffer sailed to Philadelphia on the Francis and Elizabeth. David's place of residence at the time of his emigration is presently unknown. Andreas and [Hans] David were brothers who were born in Biberach in 1704 and 1702 respectively. Rappenau probate and tax records related to the estate of Andreas (Senior), dating June 1755, refer to his sons Andreas and David as "new-landers" and note that there is no reliable information about their life or death. David settled on the Virginia frontier in the lower Shenandoah Valley near Woodstock. Most individuals in the U.S. today with derivational Rothenhöfer surnames trace their ancestry to either Andreas or David.

About 1744, one Jacob Rothenhöfer of Brötzingen (at Pforzheim) took passage to Pennsylvania. Jacob settled near Philadelphia and married, but died in the early 1750s. Whether Jacob's son, Michael (born 1746), survived to adulthood is unknown.