REDMAN
Redman is an English surname of Anglo‑Saxon origin, with the earliest recorded form appearing in the late twelfth century.
The name derives from the Old English elements read ‘red’ and mann ‘man’, and is traditionally understood as an occupational or descriptive surname given to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion. It may also indicate a connection with a place characterised by red soil or a red landmark, or, in some circumstances, a job such as a cutter of reeds or thatcher, from the Old English hreod ‘reeds’ and mann.
Early documentary evidence shows the name in the Pipe Rolls of Cumberland as “Redeman” in 1184, and a variant “Redeman” in the Lancashire rolls of 1188. Subsequent entries include Robert Redeman in the Hundred Rolls of Essex (1274) and John Redman in the Hundred Rolls of Hampshire (1275).
Variants of the surname have evolved over the centuries. Common spellings include Redman, Readman, Reedman, Redmayne and Redmaine. In the fifteenth century the spelling Readman was especially prevalent in Northumberland. More distant variants found in the British Isles and beyond are Redmond, Redmon, Radman, Redmound and Redmund.
Prominent medieval holders of the name include Sir Richard Redman (d. 1426), who served as Member of Parliament for Yorkshire between 1405 and 1421 and was Speaker of the House of Commons in 1415, and John Redman (1499–1551), the first master of Trinity College, Cambridge, from 1546 to 1551.
In terms of geographic distribution, the surname has traditionally been concentrated in north‑western England, particularly Lancashire, Cheshire and Yorkshire. The 1881 census records show the greatest density in Lancashire, followed by Cheshire and Yorkshire. In contemporary times the name remains common within the United Kingdom, especially in the northwest, and is also found in Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Migration has spread the surname beyond Britain. Significant populations are recorded in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In the United States, California and Texas have historically held the highest numbers of individuals with the surname, a pattern that dates back to the late nineteenth‑century wave of English immigration. The name is now firmly established in these countries and is also noted in smaller numbers in continental Europe.
Overall, Redman is a surname of historical depth that reflects both physical description and geographic association. Its enduring presence across multiple continents attests to the movement of families and the persistence of the name through the centuries.
Typical given names associated with the Redman surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
Female
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Jane
- Jennifer
- Karen
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Redman in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 6,659 people named Redman in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,412th most common surname in Britain. Around 102 in a million people in Britain are named Redman.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Redman
- Amanda Redman - Actress
- Matt Redman - Songwriter
- Brian Redman - Racecar driver
- Roderick Oliver Redman - Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge University (1905 to 1975)
- Denis Redman - Engineer (1910 to 2009)
- Creighton Redman - Rower
- Jim Redman - Cricketer (1926 to 1981)
- Billy Redman - Football player (1928 to 1994)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.