NameCensus.

UK surname

Redfern

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a redfern, a marsh dominated by reeds or bracken.

In the 1881 census there were 4,170 people recorded with the Redfern surname, ranking it #1,078 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,296, ranked #1,273, down from #1,078 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, St Werburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, North West Leicestershire and South Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Redfern is 5,739 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.0%.

1881 census count

4,170

Ranked #1,078

Modern count

5,296

2016, ranked #1,273

Peak year

1911

5,739 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Redfern had 4,170 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,078 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,296 in 2016, ranked #1,273.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,739 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Redfern surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Redfern surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Redfern 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 2,444 #1,220
1861 historical 2,071 #1,394
1881 historical 4,170 #1,078
1891 historical 4,539 #1,034
1901 historical 5,433 #1,023
1911 historical 5,739 #911
1997 modern 5,299 #1,228
1998 modern 5,652 #1,195
1999 modern 5,634 #1,208
2000 modern 5,597 #1,216
2001 modern 5,442 #1,223
2002 modern 5,503 #1,241
2003 modern 5,388 #1,234
2004 modern 5,453 #1,214
2005 modern 5,327 #1,227
2006 modern 5,283 #1,236
2007 modern 5,292 #1,239
2008 modern 5,306 #1,248
2009 modern 5,384 #1,262
2010 modern 5,489 #1,263
2011 modern 5,477 #1,248
2012 modern 5,295 #1,264
2013 modern 5,417 #1,257
2014 modern 5,456 #1,253
2015 modern 5,316 #1,276
2016 modern 5,296 #1,273

Geography

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Where Redferns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, St Werburgh, Manchester, Sheffield and Ashton-under-Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, North West Leicestershire, South Derbyshire and Derby. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 010 Derbyshire Dales
2 North West Leicestershire 008 North West Leicestershire
3 South Derbyshire 001 South Derbyshire
4 North West Leicestershire 012 North West Leicestershire
5 Derby 007 Derby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Redfern

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Redfern

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Redfern 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

Redfern 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

Redfern falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Redfern 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 Redfern, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Redfern

The surname Redfern traces its origins back to England, where it was first recorded in the late 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "read" meaning red and "fearn" meaning fern, suggesting that the original bearers of the name lived near an area abundant with red ferns or bracken.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1199, where a William de Redfern is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already in use and potentially established in the region by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Redeferne, Reddeferne, and Reddefern, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that era. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 mention a John de Redferne, providing further evidence of the name's existence in medieval England.

During the 14th century, the name continued to be documented, with records showing instances in areas like Lancashire and Yorkshire. In the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332, a Thomas de Redferne is listed, while the Poll Tax Returns of 1379 mention a John Redfern.

One notable early bearer of the name was John Redfern (c. 1405-1472), a prominent landowner and politician from Yorkshire, who served as a Member of Parliament for Beverley in 1449 and 1450.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various spellings, including Redfferne and Redfearne, as seen in the Parish Registers of Ecclesfield, Yorkshire, in 1591.

Another notable figure with the surname was Sir Walter Redfern (c. 1540-1614), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Malton in 1597.

As the centuries progressed, the Redfern name continued to be associated with various regions in England, particularly Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire. Notable bearers of the name include William Redfern (1774-1857), an English mathematician and astronomer, and Sir Benjamin Redfern (1798-1879), a British judge and colonial administrator in Australia.

Throughout its history, the surname Redfern has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, politicians, scholars, and professionals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bear this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Redfern families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Redfern 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 985 Redferns recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.04x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 985 2.04x
Derbyshire 735 11.54x
Cheshire 544 6.06x
Staffordshire 473 3.44x
Yorkshire 407 1.01x
Middlesex 160 0.39x
Leicestershire 137 3.04x
Warwickshire 118 1.15x
Nottinghamshire 106 1.93x
Surrey 77 0.39x
Flintshire 67 6.12x
Durham 49 0.40x
Lanarkshire 40 0.30x
Lincolnshire 36 0.55x
Kent 24 0.17x
Sussex 22 0.32x
Hampshire 20 0.24x
Cumberland 19 0.54x
Worcestershire 18 0.34x
Shropshire 17 0.48x
Essex 13 0.16x
Herefordshire 9 0.54x
Cornwall 8 0.17x
Dorset 8 0.30x
Gloucestershire 8 0.10x
Northamptonshire 8 0.21x
Glamorgan 7 0.10x
Midlothian 7 0.13x
Somerset 7 0.11x
Berkshire 5 0.16x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.19x
Bedfordshire 4 0.19x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.24x
Norfolk 4 0.06x
Northumberland 4 0.07x
Channel Islands 3 0.25x
Devon 2 0.02x
Hertfordshire 2 0.07x
Isle of Man 2 0.26x
Perthshire 2 0.11x
Suffolk 2 0.04x
Westmorland 2 0.22x
Ayrshire 1 0.03x
Berwickshire 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. Hyde in Cheshire leads with 120 Redferns recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.27x.

Place Total Index
Hyde 120 45.27x
Haughton 78 110.72x
Stoke Upon Trent 75 5.15x
Ashton Under Lyne 66 6.25x
Birmingham 55 1.61x
Stockport 55 11.90x
Denton 51 47.65x
Sheffield 47 3.66x
Rowley Regis 45 11.75x
Manchester 42 1.93x
Stanton Newhall 41 200.78x
Derby St Werburgh 40 10.87x
Ecclesall Bierlow 38 4.63x
Hulme 38 3.77x
West Derby 38 2.69x
Dukinfield 35 8.43x
Macclesfield 35 8.76x
Blackburn 34 2.65x
Salford 34 2.39x
Werneth 34 120.82x
Halkin 32 166.93x
Blackfordby 31 215.28x
Church Gresley 31 30.58x
Toxteth Park 30 1.83x
Brinnington 29 34.56x
Lambeth 29 0.82x
Barrow In Furness 27 4.11x
Chorlton On Medlock 26 3.39x
Leek Lowe 26 14.23x
Derby St Alkmund 25 13.09x
Everton 25 1.62x
Pendleton In Salford 25 4.35x
Walton On Trent 25 403.88x
Ashby De La Zouch 24 22.95x
Stapenhill 24 25.31x
Belper 23 18.62x
Broughton In Salford 23 5.21x
Heaton Norris 23 8.37x
Eckington 22 14.21x
Holy Trinity 22 2.27x
Hollingworth 21 56.70x
Walmersley Cum 21 27.22x
Ardwick 20 4.59x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 20 5.32x
Bury 20 3.63x
St George Hanover 20 3.77x
Horninglow 19 29.36x
Liverpool 19 0.65x
Wetton 19 416.67x
Whittington 19 21.55x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 18 42.94x
Burton Upon Trent 18 5.60x
Edgbaston 18 5.66x
Oakthorpe Donsthorpe 18 149.01x
Tottington Lower End 18 7.84x
Bradford 17 7.52x
Derby St Peter 17 8.38x
Heeley 17 13.87x
Wolstanton 17 4.07x
Congleton 16 10.31x
Mansfield 16 8.43x
Moss Side 16 6.30x
Oldham 16 1.03x
Stayley 16 15.58x
Tutbury 16 47.78x
Wirksworth 16 27.62x
Brampton 15 16.84x
Cromford 15 100.07x
Glossop Dale 15 5.03x
Ipstones 15 75.99x
Kensington London 15 0.66x
Nottingham St Mary 15 1.06x
Battersea 14 0.93x
Brightside Bierlow 14 1.77x
Castleton 14 2.90x
Newton 14 3.76x
Staveley 14 12.38x
Sutton In Macclesfield 14 15.02x
Swinfen Packington 14 248.23x
Wormhill 14 105.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 317
Elizabeth 161
Sarah 159
Ann 115
Annie 77
Jane 77
Hannah 75
Emma 70
Eliza 55
Alice 51
Ellen 50
Margaret 43
Harriet 39
Martha 39
Emily 33
Fanny 26
Frances 26
Maria 25
Catherine 23
Edith 21
Ada 20
Florence 20
Kate 18
Lucy 18
Amy 16
Charlotte 15
Louisa 14
Clara 13
Agnes 12
Anne 12
Eleanor 12
Caroline 11
Harriett 11
Ruth 11
Amelia 10
Minnie 10
Lizzie 9
Bertha 8
Esther 8
Gertrude 8
Isabella 8
Phoebe 8
Rebecca 8
Lydia 7
Sophia 7
Susan 7
Susannah 7
Beatrice 6
Matilda 6
Rose 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 265
William 238
Thomas 167
George 138
Joseph 130
James 115
Henry 71
Samuel 65
Charles 60
Arthur 45
Robert 44
Edward 35
Alfred 34
Frank 33
Richard 25
Albert 24
Frederick 22
Francis 20
Harry 20
Walter 20
Herbert 18
Benjamin 16
Edwin 14
Ernest 14
David 12
Thos. 12
Peter 11
Wm. 11
Fred 9
Tom 9
Geo. 8
Isaac 7
Matthew 7
Fredrick 6
Jas. 6
Job 6
Mark 6
Daniel 5
Edmund 5
Josiah 5
Leonard 5
Chas. 4
Christopher 4
Eli 4
Elijah 4
Harold 4
Joe 4
Levi 4
Saml. 4
Timothy 4

FAQ

Redfern surname: questions and answers

How common was the Redfern surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,170 people were recorded with the Redfern surname. That placed it at #1,078 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Redfern surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,296 in 2016. That gives Redfern a modern rank of #1,273.

What does the Redfern surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a redfern, a marsh dominated by reeds or bracken.

What does the Redfern map show?

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