REDSHAW
Redshaw is an English surname of Anglo‑Saxon origin that first appears in medieval records in the northern part of the country. The name is locational or topographical and derives from the Old English words read, meaning “red”, and sceaga, meaning “copse”, “thicket” or “small wood”. Therefore, the original bearer of the surname was identified either by residence near a red‑hued copse, or, less frequently, by a ruddy appearance such as red hair or a ruddy complexion.
The place from which the surname is taken is associated with several old English settlements in Northumberland, County Durham, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Early medieval map evidence shows that the placename Radshaw Gill in Fewston, West Yorkshire, gave rise to a surname that in the 16th century appeared in a variety of spellings. Examples recorded in church registers include Readeshawe (1569, Durham), Redeshawe (1569, Lincolnshire), Ridshay (1575, Yorkshire) and Redgeshawe (1586, Lincolnshire). A notable early record is the christening of Iditha, daughter of Thomas Readshaw, in Howden, Yorkshire, on 19 June 1571, and the marriage of Thomas Readshaw and Jane Welande on 11 August 1578, at Gateshead, County Durham. An example of the earliest known spelling is that of Jahanna Readshawe, christened on 23 November 1561 at Kyme, Lincolnshire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Variations of the surname that have survived into modern times include Readshaw, Reedshaw, Reidshaw, Redshawe, Redshawe, Ridshaw, Redeshwere, and the hyphenated forms Redshaw‑Fuller, Redshaw‑Hernandez, Redshaw‑Hale, Redshaw‑Harris, Redshaw‑Hauser, Redshaw‑Heath, Redshaw‑Hernandez, Redshaw‑Holden, Redshaw‑Holman, Redshaw‑Hawkins, Redshaw‑Martin, Redshaw‑Saunders, Redshaw‑Turner, Redshaw‑Clarke, Redshaw‑Baker and Redshaw‑Williams. In Scotland the name can appear as Readshall or Reidshell, while in Ireland a variation such as Raedshaw is occasionally borne.
Coats of arms have been granted to some bearers of the name. One recorded escutcheon consists of an ermine field, a black chief embattled, and a gold talbot's head couped between two silver pheons. This heraldic device reinforces the antiquity and regional association of the family.
Modern distribution of the surname remains concentrated in the United Kingdom, particularly within Lancashire towns such as Preston and Blackpool, where several generations of Redshaws have held public office and been active in local governance. The name appears sporadically in other counties including Cheshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire and others, and has reached Australia and South Africa through emigration. Contemporary bearers of the name have achieved distinction in a range of professions: the English footballer Brian Redshaw, author Raymond Redshaw, actor Edward Redshaw, and a number of entrepreneurs operating businesses across the UK. Despite the international dispersal of the population, the surname continues to be recognisable as a distinctly British family name with a long recorded history.
Typical given names associated with the Redshaw surname
Male
- David
- James
- John
- Kevin
- Martin
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Sean
- Stephen
- Steven
Female
- Alison
- Ann
- Dorothy
- Emma
- Helen
- Julie
- Mandy
- Margaret
- Marilyn
- Mary
- Nicola
- 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 Redshaw in...
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There are approximately 2,084 people named Redshaw in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,067th most common surname in Britain. Around 32 in a million people in Britain are named Redshaw.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Redshaw
- Jack Redshaw - Football player
- Mark Redshaw - Football player
- Ray Redshaw - Football player
- Leonard Redshaw - (1911 to 1989)
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.