REDWOOD
Redwood is an English residential surname of topographic origin, denoting individuals who dwelt near or within a place characterised by reddening trees or a distinctive red-tinged copse. The element read, meaning “red”, is joined by wudu, the Old English word for “wood”, to form a name that literally conveys “red wood”.
The earliest surviving record of the place-based name appears in the charters of the county of Northumberland in the year 1272, where a man is referred to as John de Redwode during the reign of King Edward I, the monarch nicknamed “The Hammer of the Scots”. This attestation confirms that the surname was already in use in the late thirteenth century.
The nomenclature may also stem from one of the villages called Redworth in Devon or Durham, or from a now‑lost medieval settlement for which the surname provides the only public remnant of its existence. In the local soil, the term “red wood” is thought to describe birch trees that develop a reddish hue in spring, or at times a type of maple whose sap imparts a similar tinge.
Other historical references show the surname and its variants in ecclesiastical records: the name John Redewood is recorded at the church of St James Clerkenwell on 18 July 1558, and a later marriage took place between Thomas Ridewood and Jane Boulton on 25 November 1791 at St Mary’s, St Marylebone. These entries illustrate the persistence of the name in English parish registers from the mid‑sixteenth to the late eighteenth century.
Spelling variations are therefore numerous. The name has been documented as Ridewood, Readwood, Readwude, Radwood, Radwod, Redwod, Redwode, Redwoode, Reedwood, and Reedewood. Such diversity reflects both the fluid orthography of early modern English and the strong dialectal influences that coloured local pronunciation.
In some social commentaries the surname has been linked symbolically to attributes of strength, courage, and determination, drawing on the conspicuous nature of a red tree as a marker of fortitude. While these qualities have been attributed to families who bear the name, the connection remains interpretative rather than documentary.
In the contemporary United Kingdom, Redwood remains most prevalent in England, with significant concentrations also reported in Wales and the Isle of Man. In Scotland, the surname often appears as Reidwood or Reidewood, whereas in Ireland it is predominantly found as Redwoode, Radwen, or Radwud.
The migration of bearers of the surname to the United States began in the early eighteenth century, when many settlers travelled from England to New England in search of new opportunities. Over the centuries the name has spread across the continental United States, and according to the 2020 Census a total of 21,805 individuals were recorded with the surname Redwood. The highest concentrations are in California, Texas, New York, Michigan, and Wisconsin, where each state records over a thousand individuals carrying the name. In the remaining states the population averages about 250.
Thus, from its origins in the woodland landscapes of the British Isles to its widespread presence across the Atlantic, the Redwood surname encapsulates a history that is at once topographic, locational, and enduring. The enduring nature of the name, its numerous orthographic variants, and its continued relevance in modern demographic records underscore its lasting significance in both English and American genealogical studies.
Typical given names associated with the Redwood surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Claire
- Deborah
- Elizabeth
- Jacqueline
- Janet
- Jennifer
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Michelle
- Niki
- Pamela
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
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 Redwood in...
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There are approximately 1,735 people named Redwood in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,737th most common surname in Britain. Around 27 in a million people in Britain are named Redwood.
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 Redwood
- John Redwood - Politician
- George Redwood - Football player (1885 to 1956)
- Bernard Boverton Redwood - Motorboat racer (1874 to 1911)
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.