The name is most likely to derive from rēad, the Anglo-Saxon (Old English) term for the colour red. As a name it is believed to have originally been descriptive of person's complexion or hair being ruddy or red. Old English had spelling variants depending on dialect, rēad was the form in West Saxon, rēid was the spelling characteristic of Northumbrian English. This variation is probably fossilised in the modern name variants, Read and Reid. There is a settlement in Lancashire called Read, the name deriving from an Old English term meaning roe[deer]-headland, this may also account for some Read surnames.
As a personal name a grammatical form of Read, Reada, was used at the earliest stages of English history. The English town of Reading on the River Thames derives its name from a very early English tribal or community group called the Readingas. The Readingas appear to have been named after a chieftain called Reada, "The Red One," with the addition of the element -ingas meaning "the people of." The first written use of the name is that of a Leofwine se Reade (Leofwine the Red), in the time of King Canute, dating to 1016-1020. However, this usage would have been as a descriptive by-name as inherited family surnames had not yet become established. A variant spelling is found in the person of Godwin le Rede, recorded in Norfolk in 1273, and a Thomas Read is recorded in 1327; their use of the name would have been as a heritable surname. A Read family was prominent in early American history, George Read of Delaware was signatory to the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution.
This name is included in the names of the following articles:
Politics and government
Almon Heath Read (1790–1844), lawyer and U.S. Representative from PennsylvaniaGeorge Read (Alberta politician), politician and party leader from AlbertaGeorge Read (Ontario politician), (1819–after 1874), businessman and Member of Parliament from OntarioGeorge Read (U.S. statesman) (1733–1798), lawyer, signer of Declaration of Independence and U.S. Senator from DelawareGeorge Read, Jr. (1765-1836), lawyer, son of George Read, Sr., U.S. Attorney for the state of DelawareJacob Read (1752–1816), lawyer and U.S. Senator from South CarolinaJohn Erskine Read (1888–1973), lawyer and international jurist from CanadaJohn Kingsley Read (1937–1985), politician from the United KingdomJohn Milton Read (1842-1881), American politicianJohn M. Read (1797–1874), lawyer and jurist from PennsylvaniaMel Read, politician and member of the E.U. Parliament from the United KingdomNathan Read (1759–1849), teacher and U.S. Representative from MassachusettsMilitary and naval
Abner Read (1821–1863), U.S. naval officerAlbert Cushing Read (1887–1967), aviator and U.S. naval admiralAnketell M. Read (1884–1915), English recipient of the Victoria CrossCharles Read (1840–1890), U.S. and Confederate naval officerGeorge C. Read, (1788–1862), sailor and American Rear-AdmiralGeorge E. Read, (1838–1910), sailor and American Medal of Honor recipientAnthony Read, English scriptwriter and editorHoward Read, British comedianJames Read (born 1953), American television actorJohn D. Read, English singer-songwriterMike Read (born 1951), British disc jockey and TV presenterAcademics and literature
Allen W. Read (1906–2002), American etymologist and lexicographerBenedict Read (born 1945), English art historianChopper Read (1954–2013), Australian criminal and authorConyers Read (1881–1959), American historianDaniel Read (1757–1836), American composerFlorence M. Read, college presidentGardner Read (1913–2005), American composerSir Herbert Read (1893–1968), English poetSir Hercules Read(1857–1929), British archaeologist and curator at the British MuseumLeonard Read (1898–1983), American think tank founderMatthew Canfield Read (1825-1902), American geologist and ethnologistMiss Read (1913-) the pen name of Dora Jessie Saint (from her mother's maiden name), British authorOpie Read (1852–1939), American journalist and humoristPiers P. Read (born 1941), British novelist and non-fiction authorRonald K. Read (1887–1975) English developer of Quikscript, an alphabetRichard Read (born 1957), American journalistThomas B. Read (1822–1872), American poetBusiness and industry
Ian Read, executive for PfizerRory P. Read, former President & CEO Lenovo, President and CEO AMDScience and technology
Carveth Read (1848–1931), British philosopher and logicianCharles Read (1958–2015), British mathematicianHerbert Harold Read (1889–1970), British geologistCharles Read (squash player) (fl. 1920s), EnglishChris Read (born 1978), English cricketerHopper Read (1910–2000), English cricketerKen Read (born 1955), Canadian skierKieran Read (born 1985), New Zealand rugby playerMatt Read (born 1986), Canadian hockey playerMaurice Read (1859–1929), English cricketerPhil Read (born 1939), English motorcycle racerReg Read (1886–1974), New Zealand cricketerTrevor Read (born 1980), Canadian ice hockey defencemanWalter Read (1855–1907), English cricketerBlue Tulip Rose Read, English stalkerDeborah Read (1708–1774), the wife of Benjamin FranklinGabriel Read, Australian gold prospectorMary Read (c. 1690–1721), English pirateAlexander Read (disambiguation)