NameCensus.

UK surname

Reddington

A surname derived from a place name referring to a reddish colored town or village.

In the 1881 census there were 366 people recorded with the Reddington surname, ranking it #8,490 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,072, ranked #5,454, up from #8,490 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ballingry, Selby and Newark and Sherwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reddington is 1,111 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 192.9%.

1881 census count

366

Ranked #8,490

Modern count

1,072

2016, ranked #5,454

Peak year

2014

1,111 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Reddington had 366 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,490 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,072 in 2016, ranked #5,454.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 500 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Reddington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Reddington surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Reddington 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 231 #9,334
1861 historical 228 #10,703
1881 historical 366 #8,490
1891 historical 393 #8,995
1901 historical 498 #8,081
1911 historical 500 #7,831
1997 modern 1,045 #5,290
1998 modern 1,056 #5,423
1999 modern 1,048 #5,492
2000 modern 1,030 #5,554
2001 modern 1,006 #5,556
2002 modern 1,045 #5,485
2003 modern 1,026 #5,485
2004 modern 1,016 #5,525
2005 modern 1,021 #5,456
2006 modern 1,038 #5,404
2007 modern 1,035 #5,456
2008 modern 1,035 #5,491
2009 modern 1,058 #5,515
2010 modern 1,094 #5,467
2011 modern 1,043 #5,620
2012 modern 1,066 #5,431
2013 modern 1,086 #5,432
2014 modern 1,111 #5,353
2015 modern 1,099 #5,356
2016 modern 1,072 #5,454

Geography

Back to top

Where Reddingtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ballingry, Selby, Newark and Sherwood, Leeds and Uttlesford. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ballingry Fife
2 Selby 004 Selby
3 Newark and Sherwood 001 Newark and Sherwood
4 Leeds 060 Leeds
5 Uttlesford 005 Uttlesford

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Reddington

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Reddington

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Reddington, 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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Reddington is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Reddington is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Reddington 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 Reddington is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Reddington

The surname Reddington has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "readi," meaning "red," and the suffix "-ing," denoting "people of." Thus, the name likely referred to people associated with a place characterized by reddish soil, vegetation, or other features.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Reddington name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Radington." This entry suggests that the name was already established in parts of England by the late 11th century, possibly referring to settlements or manors with reddish characteristics.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the name emerged, such as "Redyngton" and "Reddyngton," reflecting the evolving spelling conventions of the time. These variations are found in various historical records, including court rolls, parish registers, and medieval manuscripts.

Notable individuals bearing the Reddington surname include Sir John Reddington (c. 1475-1547), a prominent English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. Another figure was Thomas Reddington (c. 1570-1629), an English clergyman who served as the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral in the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Reddington name appeared in connection with several place names, such as Reddington Manor in Worcestershire and Reddington Firs in Wiltshire, further reinforcing the name's geographic origins.

The 19th century saw the rise of individuals like William Reddington (1786-1862), an English mathematician and astronomer, and Joseph Reddington (1822-1886), a Catholic priest and educator who played a significant role in establishing Catholic schools in the United States.

Another notable figure was Sir Walter Reddington (1879-1958), a British naval officer who served during World War I and later became the Director of Naval Intelligence.

Throughout its history, the Reddington surname has maintained its connection to English heritage, with various branches and individuals leaving their mark across different fields and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Reddington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reddington 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. Lancashire leads with 128 Reddingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.00x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 128 3.00x
Middlesex 45 1.25x
Yorkshire 34 0.96x
Essex 31 4.37x
Cheshire 28 3.53x
Surrey 26 1.49x
Staffordshire 18 1.49x
Selkirkshire 9 27.71x
Kent 8 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 7 1.45x
Hampshire 5 0.68x
Hertfordshire 5 2.02x
Warwickshire 5 0.55x
Midlothian 4 0.83x
Lincolnshire 3 0.52x
Derbyshire 2 0.36x
Isle of Man 2 3.00x
Shropshire 2 0.64x
Sussex 2 0.33x
Denbighshire 1 0.74x
Devon 1 0.13x
Leicestershire 1 0.25x
Monmouthshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 20 Reddingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.44x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 20 10.44x
Leeds 19 9.46x
Liverpool 18 6.96x
Southwark St George Martyr 16 22.15x
Toxteth Park 15 10.40x
West Derby 14 11.23x
Abbots Roothing 10 3571.43x
Melrose 9 110.16x
Oldham 9 6.55x
Long Ditton 8 279.72x
Newchurch 8 22.96x
St Luke London 8 13.89x
Widnes 8 26.04x
Clerkenwell London 7 8.26x
Garston 7 55.69x
Newton By Chester 7 2121.21x
Spotland 7 14.78x
Stafford St Mary 7 40.82x
Beauchamp Roothing 6 2142.86x
Deptford St Paul 6 6.35x
Margaret Roothing 6 2142.86x
Sutton In Macclesfield 6 72.99x
Chester St John Baptist 5 35.11x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 23.39x
Islington London 5 1.44x
Southampton All Sts 5 39.62x
Tytherington 5 1315.79x
Aston 4 1.60x
Bishop Stortford 4 48.43x
Darlaston 4 23.88x
Drighlington 4 77.22x
Hulme 4 4.50x
Skipton 4 35.75x
West Calder 4 42.19x
Blackburn 3 2.65x
Chiswick 3 15.29x
Mile End Old Town 3 5.29x
Ordsall 3 81.08x
Ormesby 3 31.38x
Preston 3 2.63x
St Anne Soho London 3 14.63x
St Nicholas Lincoln 3 54.64x
Westminster St John 3 6.86x
Burton Upon Trent 2 7.05x
Derby St Peter 2 11.17x
Eastbourne 2 7.18x
Epping 2 69.44x
Hockerton 2 1666.67x
Limehouse London 2 5.07x
Macclesfield 2 5.68x
Onchan 2 10.42x
Penkridge 2 64.10x
Runcorn 2 10.95x
Shifnal 2 23.75x
St Clement Danes 2 34.42x
St Marylebone London 2 1.04x
Tottenham 2 3.50x
White Roothing 2 384.62x
Birkenhead 1 1.58x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 2.96x
Bow London 1 2.19x
Castleton 1 2.35x
Croydon 1 1.03x
Culcheth 1 35.84x
Dewsbury 1 2.74x
Great Burstead 1 38.76x
Great Waltham 1 34.60x
Grove 1 666.67x
Hackney London 1 0.50x
Keyingham 1 128.21x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.38x
Nuneaton 1 9.53x
Radcliffe 1 4.87x
Risca 1 20.45x
Sawbridgeworth 1 26.67x
St George Hanover 1 2.13x
St Sepulchre London 1 19.01x
Swinfen Packington 1 200.00x
Walsall Foreign 1 1.60x
Waltham Holy Cross 1 15.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 36
Bridget 12
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 12
Margaret 9
Ann 8
Ellen 8
Catherine 7
Alice 4
Annie 4
Charlotte 4
Eliza 4
Julia 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Kate 3
Caroline 2
Catharine 2
Clara 2
Emily 2
Grace 2
Hannah 2
Bertha 1
Betty 1
Blanch 1
Cathe.M. 1
Cecilia 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Hennel 1
John 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Margt. 1
Margt.H. 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Olive 1
Sabina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
Thomas 15
William 15
Patrick 11
Anthony 8
Charles 7
Martin 6
Michael 6
Arthur 5
James 5
Henry 4
George 3
Joseph 3
Philip 3
Timothy 3
Edwin 2
Hugh 2
Nathaniel 2
Owen 2
Phillip 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Benjamin 1
Byran 1
Dennis 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fraser 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Geoffrey 1
Herert 1
Isaacs 1
Issicah 1
Jacob 1
Jas. 1
Jno.R. 1
Mic. 1
Micheal 1
Moses 1
Pat 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Robt. 1
Samul 1

FAQ

Reddington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Reddington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 366 people were recorded with the Reddington surname. That placed it at #8,490 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Reddington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,072 in 2016. That gives Reddington a modern rank of #5,454.

What does the Reddington surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name referring to a reddish colored town or village.

What does the Reddington map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Reddington 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.