Read
Usually a surname for someone with red hair, though in some cases it may also relate to reed-cutting or the surname Reed/Reid.
The #2,127 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 18,110 Americans shares it.
Etymology
For the English surname Read, the strongest explanation is from Old English and Middle English words for “red,” referring to a person with a ruddy complexion or red hair. Historical spellings recorded in old sources include forms such as rede, reed, rede, and reid, all pointing to the same basic idea. Some dictionaries also link Read to Reed/Reid as a spelling variant, and a smaller number of cases may reflect an occupational name connected with reeds or thatching.
History
The name appears in medieval English records, where it was used as a descriptive byname and later became hereditary. Over time, Read developed alongside spellings such as Reed and Reid, which often overlap in historical records. In Scotland and northern England, forms of the name can also be influenced by the same red-haired nickname tradition.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Medieval records preserve an early bearer as Roger le Rede, showing how naturally a simple color nickname could become a lasting surname.
From the historical record
“See Ree. READ "1 (Eng.) i Red-H aired ; Red-Com- READE J PLEXIONED [M.E. read(e, reed, rede, reid, O.E. riad, red] Roger le Rede.— ffM»rf. Rolls. Willam Jie rede king [William Rufus].— Rob. Glouc. Ckrott., 7249.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)