Friedrich Hottenroth was a German researcher of traditional costumes and customs, lithographer, painter, and author.

After attending high school on a scholarship, Hottenroth began teaching himself to draw. Between 1873 and 1877, he worked as an illustrator for Wilhelm Zimmermann's Illustrated History of the German People. In 1879, he began his work on German folk costumes, which resulted in a richly illustrated handbook of German folk costumes. After its completion in 1892, he went on to publish three volumes on German folk costumes between 1892 and 1902.

Hottenroth illustrated his descriptions of traditional costumes himself. To do this, he set off on long walks through the villages with his drawing utensils. His last work was Altfrankfurter Trachten (Old Frankfurt Costumes), published in 1912. He remained unmarried throughout his life and died impoverished in a home for destitute artists.