NameCensus.

UK surname

Reedman

A surname indicating a person who worked with reeds for thatching or basket-weaving.

In the 1881 census there were 252 people recorded with the Reedman surname, ranking it #11,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 426, ranked #11,279, down from #11,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Apethorpe, Yarwell, Nassington, Wood Newton, Southwick and Leeds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland, Daventry and Tendring.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reedman is 455 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 69.0%.

1881 census count

252

Ranked #11,012

Modern count

426

2016, ranked #11,279

Peak year

1998

455 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Reedman had 252 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 426 in 2016, ranked #11,279.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 425 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Reedman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Reedman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Reedman 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 162 #12,215
1861 historical 218 #11,175
1881 historical 252 #11,012
1891 historical 314 #10,694
1901 historical 367 #10,076
1911 historical 425 #8,877
1997 modern 443 #10,189
1998 modern 455 #10,315
1999 modern 446 #10,513
2000 modern 445 #10,539
2001 modern 440 #10,434
2002 modern 443 #10,577
2003 modern 443 #10,413
2004 modern 436 #10,581
2005 modern 420 #10,781
2006 modern 408 #11,062
2007 modern 425 #10,837
2008 modern 428 #10,869
2009 modern 436 #10,965
2010 modern 431 #11,285
2011 modern 449 #10,807
2012 modern 437 #10,915
2013 modern 445 #10,928
2014 modern 449 #10,926
2015 modern 437 #11,077
2016 modern 426 #11,279

Geography

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Where Reedmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Apethorpe, Yarwell, Nassington, Wood Newton, Southwick, Leeds, St Werburgh and Langtoft. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Holland, Daventry, Tendring and Gedling. 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 1
2 Apethorpe, Yarwell, Nassington, Wood Newton, Southwick Northamptonshire
3 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 Langtoft Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 003 South Holland
2 South Holland 009 South Holland
3 Daventry 001 Daventry
4 Tendring 004 Tendring
5 Gedling 011 Gedling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Reedman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Reedman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Reedman, 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 Reedman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Reedman 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Reedman is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Reedman 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

Reedman falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Reedman

The surname REEDMAN is an English occupational name that originated in the late Middle Ages. It derived from the Old English words 'reed' and 'mann', meaning a man who harvested reeds or worked with reeds, a common material used for thatching roofs and making baskets.

REEDMAN is first documented in records from the 13th century, with early spellings including Redman, Redeman, and Reydman. The name was particularly prevalent in areas with extensive wetlands and marshes, such as the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire in eastern England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Roger Redeman in Oxfordshire. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 mention a John Redman in Cambridgeshire.

The REEDMAN name can also be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. It is recorded as a place name, Redmane, in Suffolk, likely referring to a homestead or settlement associated with a person bearing the occupational surname.

Notable individuals with the surname REEDMAN throughout history include:

1. William Reedman (c. 1505-1558), an English Protestant reformer and Bishop of Norwich. 2. John Reedman (1592-1656), an English clergyman and author of religious works. 3. Thomas Reedman (1777-1846), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. 4. Mary Reedman (1822-1897), an English philanthropist and advocate for women's education. 5. Edward Reedman (1832-1904), a prominent British architect known for designing churches and public buildings in the Gothic Revival style.

While the REEDMAN name originated as an occupational surname, it later became a hereditary family name passed down through generations. The name's connection to the reed-harvesting trade reflects the importance of this natural resource in the daily lives and livelihoods of medieval English communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Reedman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reedman 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. Northamptonshire leads with 80 Reedmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.60x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 80 34.60x
Lincolnshire 71 18.07x
Middlesex 19 0.77x
Yorkshire 19 0.78x
Derbyshire 16 4.16x
Huntingdonshire 11 22.54x
Lancashire 9 0.31x
Staffordshire 5 0.60x
Kent 4 0.48x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.93x
Sussex 3 0.72x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.60x
Surrey 2 0.17x
Cheshire 1 0.18x
Flintshire 1 1.51x
Glamorgan 1 0.23x
Leicestershire 1 0.37x
Norfolk 1 0.26x
Shropshire 1 0.47x
Warwickshire 1 0.16x
Wiltshire 1 0.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nassington in Northamptonshire leads with 23 Reedmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3833.33x.

Place Total Index
Nassington 23 3833.33x
Langtoft 18 3673.47x
Southorpe 18 12000.00x
Barnack 17 3469.39x
Peterborough 15 89.61x
Litchurch 12 77.47x
Helpringham 8 1012.66x
Brampton 7 686.27x
Hampstead London 7 18.29x
Sheffield 7 9.03x
Stamford St George 7 395.48x
Tydd St Mary 6 769.23x
Crowland 5 202.43x
Islington London 5 2.10x
Newchurch 5 20.96x
Stamford St Mary 5 632.91x
Wolverhampton 5 7.84x
Wortley In Bramley 5 25.92x
Deptford St Paul 4 6.18x
Fletton 4 256.41x
Liverpool 4 2.26x
Stamford St Michael 4 357.14x
York St Mary 4 39.64x
Derby St Werburgh 3 13.50x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 2 68.73x
Cowbit 2 370.37x
Deeping St James 2 143.88x
Kings Cliffe 2 185.19x
Lewes All Sts 2 121.21x
Oundle 2 77.52x
Rotherhithe 2 6.59x
Spalding 2 25.64x
St George Hanover 2 6.23x
St Martin Lincoln 2 54.79x
St Pancras London 2 1.01x
Stamford Baron St Martin 2 161.29x
Tydd St Giles 2 270.27x
Apethorpe 1 555.56x
Baston 1 153.85x
Birmingham 1 0.48x
Bromley London 1 1.85x
Chester St Oswald 1 10.17x
Cranwell 1 588.24x
Cuckfield 1 23.87x
Derby St Peter 1 8.16x
Follifoot 1 238.10x
Hackthorn 1 434.78x
Heckington 1 66.67x
Holywell 1 12.05x
Kensington London 1 0.73x
Leicester St Mary 1 4.54x
Llandaff 1 7.02x
Mansfield 1 8.73x
Newton 1 163.93x
Orston 1 243.90x
Pitchford 1 555.56x
Quadring 1 131.58x
Ruskington 1 100.00x
Stamford St John 1 188.68x
Sutterton 1 128.21x
Sutton St Edmunds 1 178.57x
Swayfield 1 476.19x
Swindon 1 5.93x
Tottenham 1 2.55x
Walpole St Peter 1 104.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 17
Mary 16
Emma 11
Sarah 9
Ellen 7
Jane 6
Ann 4
Ada 3
Alice 3
Charlotte 3
Emily 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Amy 2
Eliza 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Julia 2
Susan 2
Catherine 1
Dorithay 1
Eliz. 1
Elizebth 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Kate 1
Lilly 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Mable 1
Millicent 1
Olive 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 20
William 15
George 9
Henry 9
James 9
Arthur 7
Charles 7
Thomas 6
Robert 4
Frederick 3
Alfred 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Charlie 1
Chas.E. 1
Chas.W. 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Fred 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Isiah 1
J. 1
Josiah 1
Louis 1
Manby 1
Phillip 1
Robt. 1
Stephen 1
Steven 1
Thos.R. 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Reedman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Reedman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 252 people were recorded with the Reedman surname. That placed it at #11,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Reedman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 426 in 2016. That gives Reedman a modern rank of #11,279.

What does the Reedman surname mean?

A surname indicating a person who worked with reeds for thatching or basket-weaving.

What does the Reedman map show?

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