Origins of the Reed surname

What does the name Reed mean?

Reed is an English and Scottish surname. It derives from the Middle English word 'reed' or 'rede' (red). It was typically given as a descriptive nickname for somebody who had red hair, or a particularly ruddy complexion, and passed down to their heirs. The 'Reid' variant of this name is more predominantly found in Scotland and the North of England.

Alternative variations of the name Reed

Reed, Reede, Reid, Reyd, Reet, Reide, Read, Reade

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Delve deeper into the Reed family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 3039North West 490Isle of Man 17Yorkshire 1688East Midlands 602West Midlands 526East 1866London 5199South East 2405South West 1269South Wales 637Mid Wales 65West Wales 3North Wales 44Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Reeds lived in london

Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

52,000 Reed Travel & migration records
230,000 Reeds found in all Census records

Interesting facts about Reed

How common is your surname?

146th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Reed surname. The oldest one dates back to 1538.

Who were Reeds most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Reeds.

What are the most common Reed first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Reed family members
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Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Reeds

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common female occupations for Reeds in 1921

Dressmaker

1,039

Laundress

681

Domestic Servant

607

General Servant Domestic

607

House Servant

470

Common male occupations for Reeds in 1921

Agricultural Labourer

1,214

General Labourer

1,015

Coal Miner

922

Farmer

720

Farm Hands

685

We found over 760,000 family trees with the Reed surname

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