The Redding surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 15,767 people carried this name — #2,317 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 18,700 people counted. That is up 3% from 15,264 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Redding surname

Heterographic variant of Reading.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Redding» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Reading’.

His entry covers Reading and Redding.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 639 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

47 families named Redding, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 236 people lived in those households, 5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 7 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 18
Massachusetts 13
Virginia 5
New Hampshire 4
Maryland 3
Connecticut 2
Pennsylvania 1
South Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 258 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Redding in American newspapers,
1884–1912.

Newspaper page from The Evening World carrying the name Redding
The Evening World 1912-05-24
Newspaper page from The Birmingham Age-herald carrying the name Redding
The Birmingham Age-herald 1906-12-19
Newspaper page from Chariton Courier carrying the name Redding
Chariton Courier 1884-07-11

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Redding in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

7,199 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Redding. The most, 1,447, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 2.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 2,382
South Australia 2,107
Victoria 1,842
Queensland 381
Western Australia 342
Tasmania 102
ACT (Canberra) 23
Northern Territory 3

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Redding.

Who carried it

People named Redding,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Cyrus Redding
    Cyrus Redding 1785–1870 · journalist
  • Benjamin B. Redding
    Benjamin B. Redding 1824–1882 · politician
  • Joseph Redding
    Joseph Redding 1859–1932 · composer
  • Dick Redding
    Dick Redding 1890–1948 · baseball player
  • Lewis Redding d. 1913 · politician
  • Alice May Redding d. 1955

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 9 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Redding,
in the records of 9 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,225 records

1,225 records of the Redding name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 505
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 247
  • Other U.S. records 473
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record James H. Redding

    Born 1902 in Florida. Enlisted 1942 at Camp Blanding; insurance salesman from Duval County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1991, buried at Restlawn Memorial Park, Jacksonville, Florida.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Fanny Redding

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the Adriatic from Liverpool, aged 22; servant. From Liverpool, Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Walter Lee Redding

    Born 1949; from Lake Wales, Florida. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1970 in Binh Duong, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,225 records for Redding in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia241 records

241 records of the Redding name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 89
  • Tasmanian Names Index 80
  • Other Australian records 72
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Eliza Redding

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Emma Eugenia, sailing from London in 1850. Native of Tottenham, Middlesex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Emily Redding

    Arrived in Queensland in 1890 aboard the Merkara, aged 29.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John Redding

    Clerk of New South Wales; died 1950.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 241 records for Redding in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada147 records

147 records of the Redding name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 137
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 5
  • Other Canadian records 5
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Redding

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Thames, landing at Quebec, bound for Kingston, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Esther Redding

    Buried in 1989 at Fairview Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

    City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Clarebel S. Redding

    Died 1943 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 147 records for Redding in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Netherlands111 records

111 records of the Redding name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 59
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 38
  • Dutch population registers 14
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jan Redding

    Married in 1813 in Schiedam; born 1793 in Schiedam. Died 1833 in Schiedam, aged 40.

    Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Schiedam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Gertrud Redding

    Born 1909 in Heerlen. Married in 1931 in Kerkrade.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Henderica Redding

    Born 1817 in Schiedam. Died 1837 in Schiedam, aged 20.

    Open Archives, Nationaal Archief Rijksarchief Zuid-Holland (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Schiedam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 111 records for Redding in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Germany14 records

14 records of the Redding name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Friedrich Redding

    From Rastow. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 8 April 1916 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 90).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Richard Redding

    From Bergedorf. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 23 October 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 14 records for Redding in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom10 records

10 records of the Redding name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 7
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Joseph Redding

    Buried in 1850 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 43.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Mary Anne Redding

    Will proved in 1875; of Beaumaris, Anglesey.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Redding

    Hampshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Redding in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France4 records

4 records of the Redding name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Pierrette Redding

    Born 1921 in Marseille; died 1992 in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Henry Gustave Legrand Redding

    Born 1924 in Paris; died 1976 in Chartres (Eure-et-Loir).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Redding in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Redding name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Susan Redding

    Died 1916, aged 74; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Daniel Redding

    Died 1923, aged 71; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Redding name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Christine Redding

    Died 1971 in Gent.

    Open Archives, Archief Gent (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Redding.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Redding is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Redding volume
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