NameCensus.

UK surname

Redden

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "reedy valley" or referring to a person with red hair.

In the 1881 census there were 242 people recorded with the Redden surname, ranking it #11,333 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 745, ranked #7,333, up from #11,333 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Coleshill and Newport Pagnell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wellingborough, County Durham and Kettering.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Redden is 761 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 207.9%.

1881 census count

242

Ranked #11,333

Modern count

745

2016, ranked #7,333

Peak year

2014

761 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Redden had 242 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,333 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 745 in 2016, ranked #7,333.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 304 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Redden surname distribution map

The map shows where the Redden surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Redden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Redden over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 120 #15,144
1861 historical 129 #17,271
1881 historical 242 #11,333
1891 historical 270 #12,027
1901 historical 304 #11,543
1911 historical 289 #11,738
1997 modern 670 #7,495
1998 modern 713 #7,369
1999 modern 714 #7,408
2000 modern 716 #7,380
2001 modern 710 #7,286
2002 modern 738 #7,199
2003 modern 724 #7,192
2004 modern 712 #7,293
2005 modern 689 #7,441
2006 modern 687 #7,479
2007 modern 697 #7,441
2008 modern 702 #7,463
2009 modern 707 #7,585
2010 modern 704 #7,746
2011 modern 697 #7,715
2012 modern 730 #7,377
2013 modern 745 #7,388
2014 modern 761 #7,281
2015 modern 752 #7,292
2016 modern 745 #7,333

Geography

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Where Reddens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Coleshill, Newport Pagnell, Brancepeth and Littlehampton, Climping. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wellingborough, County Durham, Kettering, Northumberland and Lewisham. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Coleshill Warwickshire
3 Newport Pagnell Buckinghamshire
4 Brancepeth Durham
5 Littlehampton, Climping Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wellingborough 008 Wellingborough
2 County Durham 048 County Durham
3 Kettering 005 Kettering
4 Northumberland 010 Northumberland
5 Lewisham 005 Lewisham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Redden

These lists show first names that appear often with the Redden surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Redden

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Redden, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Redden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Redden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Redden is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Redden is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Redden falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Redden is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Redden, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Redden

The surname Redden is believed to have originated in England, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "read," meaning "red," and likely referred to someone with reddish hair or complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which mention a William Redden in Oxfordshire. The name is also found in the Placita de Quo Warranto records of 1292, which list a Thomas Redden in Hertfordshire.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Redden was predominantly found in the southern and eastern regions of England, particularly in counties like Kent, Sussex, and Essex. It is possible that the name originated as a descriptive nickname for someone with a distinctive reddish appearance.

While the Redden surname does not appear in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, it is found in other early records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, which mention a Ralph Redden.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Redden surname. One such person was Sir John Redden (c. 1480-1548), a Member of Parliament and landowner from Suffolk. Another was William Redden (1601-1676), an English clergyman and author who wrote a treatise on the Book of Common Prayer.

In the 18th century, Samuel Redden (1722-1788) was a prominent merchant and landowner in Virginia. His descendants played a role in the American Revolutionary War. Another notable bearer of the name was John Redden (1806-1859), an Irish-born Australian explorer and surveyor who helped map parts of the Australian outback.

The Redden surname has also been associated with various place names over the years. For example, Redden Court in Kent was once owned by a family with this surname, and Redden Wood in Buckinghamshire may have derived its name from a similar source.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Redden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Redden surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Warwickshire leads with 34 Reddens recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.71x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 34 5.71x
Durham 27 3.84x
Berwickshire 20 69.98x
Surrey 19 1.65x
Northumberland 16 4.56x
Middlesex 14 0.59x
Lancashire 13 0.46x
Lincolnshire 13 3.44x
Essex 12 2.58x
Lanarkshire 10 1.31x
Renfrewshire 10 5.47x
Buckinghamshire 8 5.61x
Sussex 8 2.01x
Kent 7 0.87x
Kinross-shire 7 117.25x
Gloucestershire 5 1.08x
Northamptonshire 5 2.25x
Yorkshire 4 0.17x
Huntingdonshire 3 6.40x
Dunbartonshire 2 3.15x
Hampshire 2 0.41x
Ayrshire 1 0.57x
Derbyshire 1 0.27x
Devon 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Coleshill in Warwickshire leads with 19 Reddens recorded in 1881 and an index of 994.76x.

Place Total Index
Coleshill 19 994.76x
Westgate 14 64.37x
Gorbals 10 220.75x
Salford 9 10.93x
Trimdon 9 362.90x
West Ham 9 8.75x
Whitsome 9 2000.00x
Abbey 8 28.66x
Bermondsey 8 11.38x
Littlehampton 8 251.57x
Newport Pagnell 8 268.46x
Over Whitacre 8 3478.26x
Stranton 8 33.84x
Fossoway 7 679.61x
Holbeach 6 142.86x
Bristol St Stephen 5 416.67x
Chilton 5 228.31x
Edrom 5 409.84x
Lambeth 5 2.43x
Maxstoke 5 2631.58x
Northampton All Sts 5 66.40x
Spalding 5 66.76x
St Marylebone London 5 3.97x
Dunse 4 147.60x
Lewisham 4 9.31x
Preston 4 5.34x
Shoreditch London 4 3.91x
Buckden 3 357.14x
Greenwich 3 7.98x
Mile End Old Town 3 8.05x
Barking 2 14.67x
Battersea 2 2.30x
Bishopwearmouth 2 3.32x
Bonhill 2 19.65x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 4.20x
Gedney Hill 2 740.74x
Portsea 2 2.11x
Shadwell London 2 30.26x
Witton Gilbert 2 72.20x
Aston 1 0.61x
Chirnside 1 81.97x
Clapham 1 3.39x
Coldingham 1 38.91x
Coxlodge 1 37.45x
Elvaston 1 222.22x
Frimley 1 30.49x
Horton In Bradford 1 2.74x
Leeds 1 0.76x
Loudoun 1 23.53x
Middle Greenock 1 20.04x
Nether Whitacre 1 212.77x
Paston 1 714.29x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 2.64x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.11x
Springfield 1 49.02x
Thornley 1 39.37x
Wandsworth 1 4.40x
West Greenock 1 3.05x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Redden surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 16
Mary 8
Ann 6
Ellen 5
Jane 5
Annie 4
Margaret 4
Sarah 4
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Harriet 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Phoebe 2
Rose 2
(Mrs) 1
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Arabella 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Chorlt. 1
Dinah 1
Dorothy 1
Eleanor 1
Elsia 1
Elza 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Hanah 1
Hellen 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Margret 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1
Sally 1
Sophia 1
Sushannah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Redden surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Thomas 12
William 12
John 11
George 10
James 5
Joseph 5
David 3
Robert 3
Thos. 3
Daniel 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Chas.J. 1
Chas.Thos. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Eustace 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Jacob 1
Lancelot 1
Maurice 1
Michail 1
Samuel 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Redden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Redden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 242 people were recorded with the Redden surname. That placed it at #11,333 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Redden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 745 in 2016. That gives Redden a modern rank of #7,333.

What does the Redden surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "reedy valley" or referring to a person with red hair.

What does the Redden map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Redden bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.