NameCensus.

UK surname

Reid

A surname of Scottish and English origin, derived from a nickname meaning "red-haired" or "ruddy-complexioned."

In the 1881 census there were 31,585 people recorded with the Reid surname, ranking it #101 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 51,162, ranked #91, up from #101 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include City Centre East, Buckie West and Mains of Buckie and Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reid is 51,162 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.0%.

1881 census count

31,585

Ranked #101

Modern count

51,162

2016, ranked #91

Peak year

2016

51,162 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Reid had 31,585 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #101 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 51,162 in 2016, ranked #91.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 38,749 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Reid surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Reid surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Reid 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 21,455 #100
1861 historical 22,794 #95
1881 historical 31,585 #101
1891 historical 33,669 #98
1901 historical 38,749 #102
1911 historical 12,481 #392
1997 modern 46,343 #98
1998 modern 47,971 #99
1999 modern 48,351 #98
2000 modern 48,395 #98
2001 modern 46,910 #98
2002 modern 48,359 #99
2003 modern 47,288 #99
2004 modern 47,510 #99
2005 modern 47,454 #97
2006 modern 47,545 #98
2007 modern 48,135 #97
2008 modern 48,607 #97
2009 modern 49,877 #97
2010 modern 50,958 #97
2011 modern 49,806 #97
2012 modern 49,167 #97
2013 modern 50,192 #97
2014 modern 50,965 #97
2015 modern 50,948 #96
2016 modern 51,162 #91

Geography

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Where Reids are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to City Centre East, Buckie West and Mains of Buckie, Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock, Inverurie South and Ythsie. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 City Centre East Glasgow City
2 Buckie West and Mains of Buckie Moray
3 Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock Moray
4 Inverurie South Aberdeenshire
5 Ythsie Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Reid

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Reid

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Reid, 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 Reid surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Reid 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Reid 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

Reid is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Reid falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Reid

The surname Reid has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "read," meaning red or ruddy complexion. The name may have been originally given as a nickname to someone with a reddish complexion or red hair.

In the early 13th century, the name is recorded in various charters and documents, such as the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Adam Reid, who witnessed a charter in Berwick in 1248.

The Reid surname is also associated with several place names in Scotland, including Reidhaven in Kincardineshire and Reidswire in Dumfriesshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in different regions.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Reid family played a prominent role in Scottish history. Sir Robert Reid (1510-1558) was a prominent diplomat and served as the Lord Privy Seal of Scotland under Mary, Queen of Scots. Another notable figure was Thomas Reid (1710-1796), a philosopher and founder of the Scottish School of Common Sense.

In the literary world, Iain Reid (born 1976) is a Canadian writer and author of the acclaimed novel "I'm Thinking of Ending Things." Thomas Mayne Reid (1818-1883) was an Irish-American novelist known for his adventure novels set in the American West.

Other notable individuals with the surname Reid include Sir George Reid (1841-1909), an Australian politician and Prime Minister of Australia from 1904 to 1905, and Alistair Reid (1926-2014), a Scottish-American poet and scholar.

The Reid surname has a rich history and has been prominent in various fields, including politics, philosophy, literature, and diplomacy. Its Scottish origins and association with place names have contributed to its distinct identity and enduring legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Reid families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reid 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. Lanarkshire leads with 5,618 Reids recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.66x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 5,618 5.66x
Aberdeenshire 3,150 11.08x
Midlothian 2,326 5.66x
Ayrshire 1,830 7.97x
Angus 1,769 6.22x
Lancashire 1,616 0.44x
Middlesex 1,433 0.47x
Renfrewshire 1,156 4.86x
Perthshire 980 7.12x
Banffshire 886 13.92x
Fife 845 4.65x
Stirlingshire 717 6.34x
Surrey 664 0.44x
Northumberland 592 1.30x
Yorkshire 506 0.17x
Morayshire 467 9.79x
Kincardineshire 407 10.89x
Durham 398 0.44x
Dunbartonshire 384 4.66x
Kent 332 0.32x
Cumberland 307 1.16x
Orkney 306 9.06x
Ross-shire 255 3.03x
Roxburghshire 255 4.59x
Caithness 254 6.05x
Cheshire 253 0.37x
Inverness-shire 232 2.53x
Argyllshire 208 2.44x
Dumfriesshire 204 3.01x
West Lothian 202 4.37x
East Lothian 178 4.38x
Wigtownshire 175 4.30x
Kirkcudbrightshire 160 3.60x
Hampshire 159 0.25x
Essex 128 0.21x
Clackmannanshire 124 4.89x
Sussex 124 0.24x
Devon 118 0.18x
Kinross-shire 115 14.83x
Shetland 106 3.38x
Berwickshire 105 2.83x
Staffordshire 104 0.10x
Gloucestershire 88 0.15x
Selkirkshire 79 2.85x
Derbyshire 77 0.16x
Peeblesshire 74 5.13x
Buteshire 70 3.77x
Warwickshire 64 0.08x
Leicestershire 63 0.19x
Glamorgan 55 0.10x
Nottinghamshire 55 0.13x
Hertfordshire 54 0.26x
Berkshire 46 0.20x
Sutherland 42 1.78x
Dorset 34 0.17x
Lincolnshire 33 0.07x
Northamptonshire 32 0.11x
Nairnshire 31 3.31x
Oxfordshire 30 0.16x
Pembrokeshire 29 0.30x
Somerset 28 0.06x
Buckinghamshire 25 0.13x
Cornwall 24 0.07x
Royal Navy 24 0.66x
Bedfordshire 23 0.14x
Monmouthshire 22 0.10x
Norfolk 22 0.05x
Westmorland 22 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 20 0.10x
Isle of Man 20 0.35x
Worcestershire 19 0.05x
Suffolk 17 0.05x
Flintshire 15 0.18x
Shropshire 14 0.05x
Channel Islands 13 0.14x
Denbighshire 9 0.08x
Wiltshire 9 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 7 0.11x
Herefordshire 6 0.05x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.03x
Merionethshire 4 0.07x
Anglesey 1 0.02x
Cardiganshire 1 0.01x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 1,344 Reids recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.48x.

Place Total Index
Govan 1,344 5.48x
Barony 1,306 5.20x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 986 5.96x
Glasgow 870 4.94x
Aberdeen Old Machar 704 11.87x
Dundee 557 5.25x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 471 8.86x
Rathven 398 33.29x
Old Monkland 327 8.30x
Abbey 306 8.43x
South Leith 264 5.71x
Liff Benvie 251 5.82x
Liverpool 209 0.95x
Peterhead 194 12.91x
Dunfermline 189 6.77x
Falkirk 186 7.02x
New Monkland 181 6.17x
Bothwell 174 6.47x
Hamilton 172 6.21x
Cambusnethan 167 7.58x
Wick 157 11.57x
Islington London 151 0.51x
Kilmarnock 147 5.38x
St Pancras London 147 0.60x
Dalry 142 13.14x
West Greenock 137 3.21x
St Vigeans 135 8.80x
Newton On Ayr 130 18.90x
Montrose 127 7.37x
Toxteth Park 127 1.03x
Lambeth 125 0.47x
Drainie 119 28.18x
Inverness 118 5.12x
Everton 116 1.00x
Maryhill 116 5.97x
Larbert 112 16.55x
Banchory Devenick 110 31.52x
Auckinleck 107 15.05x
Rutherglen 106 7.28x
Paisley High Church 103 5.44x
Salford 102 0.95x
West Derby 97 0.91x
Dalziel 96 8.99x
Elgin 96 10.35x
North Leith 96 5.05x
Kensington London 94 0.55x
Westray Papa Westray 94 35.11x
Alloa 93 7.57x
Carluke 93 10.32x
East Greenock 93 4.14x
Perth East Church 91 7.01x
Stevenston 91 15.20x
Kilwinning 89 12.00x
Eastwood 88 6.01x
Hackney London 88 0.51x
Kilbirnie 87 15.78x
Shoreditch London 87 0.65x
Forfar 84 5.46x
Lasswade 82 8.72x
Kirkintilloch 78 6.96x
Birkenhead 77 1.43x
Irvine 76 11.91x
Camberwell 75 0.38x
Stronsay Eday 75 33.97x
Cambuslang 74 7.40x
Dundonald 72 8.50x
Kirkdale 72 1.18x
Ayr 71 6.55x
Barrow In Furness 71 1.43x
Blairgowrie 71 13.03x
Manchester 71 0.43x
Westoe 71 1.37x
Gamrie 69 9.71x
Paisley Middle Church 69 4.98x
Langholm 68 13.96x
Westgate 67 2.37x
Dalserf 66 6.66x
New Kilpatrick 66 8.41x
Newhills 66 11.34x
St Marylebone London 66 0.40x
Whitburn 66 9.89x
Kilbarchan 65 9.00x
Preston 64 0.66x
Shotts 64 5.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 522
Elizabeth 322
Jane 187
Sarah 184
Margaret 169
Ann 141
Annie 140
Ellen 107
Eliza 99
Alice 95
Emma 84
Emily 79
Isabella 76
Catherine 70
Agnes 64
Hannah 55
Jessie 52
Martha 43
Florence 42
Charlotte 41
Edith 41
Frances 40
Louisa 40
Fanny 38
Maria 37
Harriet 32
Janet 31
Ada 27
Susan 26
Kate 24
Anne 23
Clara 22
Ethel 22
Caroline 21
Amelia 20
Helen 20
Lucy 20
Barbara 19
Esther 19
Grace 19
Harriett 19
Marion 19
Eleanor 18
Rebecca 18
Christina 16
Gertrude 16
Minnie 16
Margt. 13
Elizth. 12
Georgina 12

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 523
William 475
James 348
George 266
Thomas 222
Robert 177
Charles 124
Henry 96
David 95
Joseph 75
Alexander 74
Edward 71
Frederick 53
Alfred 51
Walter 49
Arthur 46
Andrew 43
Richard 31
Samuel 30
Peter 29
Albert 27
Hugh 26
Harry 24
Frank 23
Francis 21
Daniel 20
Wm. 20
Edwin 19
Ernest 19
Adam 17
Herbert 17
Patrick 14
Thos. 14
Benjamin 13
Robt. 13
Matthew 12
Stephen 12
Michael 11
Percy 11
Isaac 10
Alexr. 9
Archibald 8
Fred 8
Sidney 8
Edmund 6
Geo. 6
Harold 6
Jas. 6
Ralph 6
Cecil 5

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Reid households.

FAQ

Reid surname: questions and answers

How common was the Reid surname in 1881?

In 1881, 31,585 people were recorded with the Reid surname. That placed it at #101 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Reid surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 51,162 in 2016. That gives Reid a modern rank of #91.

What does the Reid surname mean?

A surname of Scottish and English origin, derived from a nickname meaning "red-haired" or "ruddy-complexioned."

What does the Reid map show?

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