NameCensus.

UK surname

Redfearn

A topographic surname derived from places named with the elements meaning "red fern".

In the 1881 census there were 888 people recorded with the Redfearn surname, ranking it #4,282 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,338, ranked #4,505, down from #4,282 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Batley, Almondbury and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Kirklees and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Redfearn is 1,404 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.7%.

1881 census count

888

Ranked #4,282

Modern count

1,338

2016, ranked #4,505

Peak year

1911

1,404 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Redfearn had 888 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,282 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,338 in 2016, ranked #4,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,404 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Redfearn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Redfearn surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Redfearn 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 695 #3,753
1861 historical 663 #4,039
1881 historical 888 #4,282
1891 historical 949 #4,361
1901 historical 1,090 #4,434
1911 historical 1,404 #3,438
1997 modern 1,283 #4,442
1998 modern 1,349 #4,412
1999 modern 1,352 #4,435
2000 modern 1,359 #4,407
2001 modern 1,330 #4,400
2002 modern 1,372 #4,359
2003 modern 1,326 #4,411
2004 modern 1,326 #4,414
2005 modern 1,299 #4,427
2006 modern 1,297 #4,453
2007 modern 1,322 #4,420
2008 modern 1,313 #4,474
2009 modern 1,366 #4,409
2010 modern 1,379 #4,459
2011 modern 1,355 #4,479
2012 modern 1,346 #4,431
2013 modern 1,383 #4,419
2014 modern 1,382 #4,434
2015 modern 1,362 #4,444
2016 modern 1,338 #4,505

Geography

Back to top

Where Redfearns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Batley, Almondbury, Sheffield, Dewsbury and Sculcoates. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Kirklees, Barnsley and Hyndburn. 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 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Almondbury Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Dewsbury Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sculcoates Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 057 County Durham
2 Kirklees 055 Kirklees
3 Barnsley 024 Barnsley
4 County Durham 064 County Durham
5 Hyndburn 002 Hyndburn

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Redfearn

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Redfearn

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Redfearn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Redfearn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Redfearn is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Redfearn is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Redfearn falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Redfearn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Redfearn

The surname Redfearn originated in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "read" and "fearn," meaning "red" and "fern" respectively, possibly indicating that the name initially referred to someone who lived near a patch of red ferns or in an area with reddish soil.

During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various forms, including Redferne, Redfern, and Readfern, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation common at the time. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1275, where it is spelled "Redfern."

The Redfearn family seems to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire. In the 16th century, records show a concentration of Redfearns in the parish of Guiseley, near Leeds, suggesting that this area may have been a stronghold for the family.

Historical references to the Redfearn name include mentions in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, where a Richard Redferne is listed as a taxpayer. Additionally, the Redfearns are mentioned in the Hearth Tax Returns of 1674, which recorded the number of hearths or fireplaces in each household for taxation purposes.

One notable figure bearing the Redfearn surname was Thomas Redfearn (1561-1629), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Halton Holegate in Lincolnshire. Another prominent individual was William Redfearn (1638-1688), a Puritan minister and author who wrote several religious works during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, a Redfearn family established themselves in the town of Wakefield, Yorkshire. John Redfearn (1745-1823) was a successful merchant and landowner in the area, and his son, also named John Redfearn (1772-1845), became a prominent lawyer and served as the Mayor of Wakefield.

Another noteworthy individual was Robert Redfearn (1796-1876), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in Yorkshire, including the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Scarborough.

As the Redfearn family spread across England and beyond, the name underwent various spellings and variations, such as Redfern, Readfern, and Redfearne, but the core meaning and origins remained rooted in the Old English words for "red" and "fern."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Redfearn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Redfearn 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. Yorkshire leads with 566 Redfearns recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.60x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 566 6.60x
Derbyshire 107 7.90x
Lancashire 63 0.61x
Durham 42 1.63x
Surrey 26 0.62x
Northumberland 18 1.40x
Cheshire 15 0.79x
Middlesex 15 0.17x
Hampshire 7 0.39x
Warwickshire 7 0.32x
Kent 5 0.17x
Hertfordshire 4 0.67x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.34x
Staffordshire 4 0.14x
Devon 1 0.06x
Leicestershire 1 0.10x
Perthshire 1 0.26x
Worcestershire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Meltham in Yorkshire leads with 60 Redfearns recorded in 1881 and an index of 450.11x.

Place Total Index
Meltham 60 450.11x
Batley 59 72.40x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 49 159.97x
Ecclesall Bierlow 44 25.23x
Honley 25 166.56x
Rastrick 21 88.16x
Foolow 20 3030.30x
Berwick Upon Tweed 18 65.98x
Leeds 17 3.51x
Clayton Le Moors 15 75.30x
Holy Trinity 15 7.27x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 15 37.66x
Handsworth 14 61.76x
Heckmondwike 14 50.76x
Brightside Bierlow 13 7.73x
Horton In Bradford 13 9.71x
Dewsbury 12 13.65x
Norton 12 107.53x
Sculcoates 12 8.83x
Bakewell 11 148.45x
Sheffield 11 4.03x
Southcoates 11 23.11x
Forest Frith 10 444.44x
Lambeth 10 1.33x
Lockwood 10 32.41x
West Derby 10 3.33x
Elvet 9 48.44x
Linthwaite 9 49.94x
Little Hucklow 9 1730.77x
Stockport 9 9.16x
Darlington 8 8.05x
Huddersfield 8 6.40x
Litchurch 8 14.68x
South Crosland 8 88.59x
Wandsworth 8 9.61x
Barnsley 7 7.92x
Derby All Sts 7 61.89x
Mirfield 7 14.87x
North Bierley 7 15.12x
Thornhill 7 27.98x
Upperthong 7 96.02x
Ardwick 6 6.48x
Derby St Werburgh 6 7.67x
Hunslet 6 4.49x
Macclesfield 6 7.07x
Ripon 6 30.17x
Soothill 6 19.37x
Almondbury 5 12.06x
Bradfield 5 15.13x
Eyam 5 132.28x
Hartington Upper 5 77.40x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 4.48x
Holdenhurst 5 10.75x
Hungry Bentley 5 2083.33x
Middleton In Teesdale 5 73.64x
Oldham 5 1.51x
St George Hanover 5 4.43x
Wooldale 5 34.39x
Armley 4 10.58x
Broughton In Salford 4 4.26x
Caverswall 4 26.35x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 2.45x
Dalton In Huddersfield 4 20.82x
East Barnet 4 33.81x
Falsgrave 4 31.65x
Greasbrough 4 35.34x
Great Crosby 4 14.29x
Lea Marston 4 439.56x
Lynesack Softley 4 57.55x
Southwark Christchurch 4 9.87x
Thurgoland 4 69.20x
Wakefield 4 6.08x
Worksop 4 11.56x
Abney 3 1304.35x
Bromley London 3 1.58x
Drypool 3 22.85x
Great Harwood 3 16.16x
Hazelwood 3 265.49x
Thurlstone 3 35.46x
Warwick St Nicholas 3 18.75x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 51
William 37
George 32
James 26
Joseph 26
Thomas 19
Samuel 15
Arthur 10
Charles 9
Fred 9
Henry 9
Albert 8
Walter 8
Francis 6
Alfred 5
Richard 5
Robert 5
Wm. 5
David 4
Herbert 4
Sam 4
Wilfred 4
Abraham 3
Benjamin 3
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Joshua 3
Thos. 3
Bateley 2
Edgar 2
Frank 2
Godfrey 2
Joe 2
Jonathan 2
Leonard 2
Michael 2
Ralph 2
Reuben 2
Saml. 2
Sidney 2
Willie 2
Ammon 1
Benjn. 1
Crispin 1
Dan 1
Daniel 1
Dyson 1
E. 1

FAQ

Redfearn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Redfearn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 888 people were recorded with the Redfearn surname. That placed it at #4,282 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Redfearn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,338 in 2016. That gives Redfearn a modern rank of #4,505.

What does the Redfearn surname mean?

A topographic surname derived from places named with the elements meaning "red fern".

What does the Redfearn map show?

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