The Gorothites were the original people who lived on the planet called Goroth Prime, their native world. The Galactic Empire in 10 BBY contracted out the mining operations of highly radioactive hyperbarides found deep under the surface of Goroth Prime to a number of its partner companies, who then exploited the Gorothites as forced labor. This caused widespread radiation poisoning among the native population, leading to catastrophic harm to both the Gorothites and their planetary home. The book The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire by the historian Beaumont Kin, published in 35 ABY, made reference to the Empire's treatment of the Gorothites.
Within the current Star Wars canon, the Gorothites were first referenced in the 2024 reference book titled Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, authored by Chris Kempshall. As a species, the Gorothites were initially created within the Star Wars Legends timeline, with their initial mention appearing in Goroth: Slave of the Empire, a 1995 adventure module for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game crafted by Nigel D. Findley and released by West End Games.