"Reed" is commonly believed to be a nickname-derived surname referring to a person's complexion or hair being ruddy or red.
At least one example of the Reed surname, that originating in the County of Northumberland in northern England, is derived from a location, the valley of Redesdale and the River Rede that runs through it.
In the United States, Reed was adopted by some Pennsylvania Dutch (German) families in the 18th century, notably that of John Reed (Johannes Reith), a former Hessian soldier from Raboldshausen, Germany, who made the first documented gold find in the United States in 1799. The Reed Gold Mine is today a State Historic Site in Cabarrus County, North Carolina.
'Reed' appears as a surname most commonly in English-speaking countries, especially in the United States, where it was the 55th most common surname in 1990 accounting for about 0.12% of the population. In Great Britain, 'Reed' ranked at 158th (0.081%) and 183rd (0.073%) in 1881 and 1998, respectively, with little or no change in internal distribution among counties during the intervening century. In Ireland, Reed is among the 100 most common surnames, and in the Irish province of Ulster it is among the 40 most common surnames. The relative frequencies in 1998 among several countries were United States >> Great Britain > Australia ~ New Zealand ~ Canada >> Northern Ireland >> Ireland.
'Reed' has been adopted by several notable actors as their stage surname in preference to their birth names (see #Pseudonyms and aliases, below).
Reeds of Northumberland
The Reeds of Northumberland in England were originally centered around the chief Reed residence at Troughend in Redesdale, on the banks of the River Rede. According to Sir Walter Scott,
These Reeds of Troughend were a very ancient family, as may be conjectured from their deriving their surname from the river on which they had their mansion. An epitaph on one of their tombs affirms that the family have held their lands of Troughend, which are situated on the Reed nearly opposite to Otterburn, for the incredible space of nine hundred years.
The earliest reference to the Reeds of Troughend is from 1400, when "Thomas Reed of Redysdale" is recorded in county records as paying "to William de Swinburne in the sum of 20 pds...for the ransom of William Moetrop of Tenedale". In 1429 Thomas Reed is again recorded, as serving on a jury in Elsdon. In 1442, a John Reed is described as "the Laird of Troughwen, the chief of the name of Reed, and divers of his followers...a ruder and more lawless crew there needs not be..."
The Reeds of Northumberland were one of the Border Reiver families of the 16th century, who lived by blackmail and cattle rustling in the Anglo-Scottish border country.
One notable Reed was Percival Reed, believed to have been Laird of Troughend in the 1580s and 1590s. His story has been handed down in The Death of Parcy Reed, a traditional Border ballad (Child Ballad 193). This song tells of an alliance between the Halls of Redesdale and the Crosiers of Liddesdale in Scotland, against the Reeds. Percival Reed held the office of Keeper of Redesdale, and had arrested one Whinton Crosier for raiding in the valley. This put the Reeds at feud with the Crosier family. The Halls, old friends of Percy Reed, turned against him and conspired with the Crosiers to trap him while he was out hunting. When the Crosiers ambushed Percy, the Halls watched as he was murdered. Percy stood alone unarmed against the Crosiers, and according to the ballad:
They fell upon him all at once,
They mangled him most cruellie;
The slightest wound might cause his deith,
And they have given him thirty-three:
They hacket off his hands and feet,
And left him lying on the lee.
Percy Reed's ghost is said to have haunted Redesdale for many years, and "at times he would come gallantly cantering across the moorland as he had done when blood ran warm in his veins. ...And yet, again, he would come as a fluttering, homeless soul, whimpering and formless, with a moaning cry for Justice—Justice—Judgment on him who had by black treachery hurried him unprepared to his end."
Many Norwegians use a last name derived from their family farm or town. Reed is a village in Sogn og Fjordane county in Norway. As of 2010, 325 share the surname Reed.
At the time of the United Kingdom Census of 1881, the frequency of the surname Reed was highest in the following counties:
As of 2014, the frequency of the surname was highest in the following countries and territories:
As of 2014, 78.4% of all known bearers of the surname Reed were residents of the United States. The frequency of the surname was higher than national average in the following U.S. states:
The frequency of the surname was highest (over six times the national average) in the following U.S. counties:
There are many notable people who share the Reed surname. These people are listed below to provide a partial geographical and time reference for use of this name. People listed below are presumed to be caucasian unless otherwise indicated parenthetically; this information is included as ethnicity is an important parameter in name studies. Ethnicities found below include African American and Jewish. Multiple items on a line is indicated by a superscript number associated with country of origin. All information included in the list below has been drawn from the referenced articles without input from other external sources.
Ireland or England (after 1350–1415) Robert Reed (bishop), alternatively spelled "Robert Reade"
United States (c.1723–1807) James Reed (soldier)
United States (1741–1785) Joseph Reed (jurist)
England (1742–1807) Isaac Reed
United States (1751–1831) John Reed, Sr.
United States (1760–1829) Philip Reed
United States (1781–1860) John Reed, Jr.
United States (1787–1836) Luman Reed
United States (1787–1829) Thomas Buck Reed
England (1787–1862) Andrew Reed (clergyman), same person as Andrew Reed (Reverend)
United States (1793–1883) Edward C. Reed
United States (1803–1871) Charles Manning Reed
United States (1806–1876) William Bradford Reed
England (1806–1880) Henry Reed (merchant)
United States (1807–1864) Robert Rentoul Reed
United States (1809–1887) Isaac Reed (Maine)
United States (1813–1899) Harrison Reed (politician)
United States (1816-1891) William Whitaker Reed
England (1817–1888) Thomas German Reed
Denmark (1817–1878) Thomas Reed (architect)
England (1819–1881) Charles Reed
United States (1821–1891) Byron Reed
England (c.1823–1890) Joseph Reed (architect), emigrated to Australia
United States (1827–1888) Elijah W. Reed
England (1830–1906) Edward James Reed
United States (1830–1895) Simeon Gannett Reed
United States (1832–1864) James Sewall Reed, Civil War cavalry officer
United States (1832–1904) Amanda Reed, 'Reed' being her married name, her maiden name not known
United States (1833–1909) William B. Reed (politician), mayor of South Norwalk, Connecticut (1891–1892) and successful oysterman
United States (1835–1925) Joseph Rea Reed
United States (1839–1902) Thomas Brackett Reed
United States (1842–1913) P. Booker Reed, moved to Canada late in life
United States (1842–1915) Elizabeth Armstrong Reed nee Armstrong
United States (1847–1938) David C. Reed
United States (1851–1902) Walter Reed
England (1852–1893) Talbot Baines Reed
United States (1856–1916) John Oren Reed
United States (1858–1876) Henry Armstrong Reed
Ireland (flourished 1860–1880) Andrew Reed (police inspector)
United States (1861–1944) James A. Reed
United States (1865–1951) Ida Lilliard Reed
United States (1866–1935) Stuart F. Reed
United States (1866–1940) Eugene Elliott Reed
Ireland (1869–1931) Hamilton Lyster Reed
United States (1871–1949) Clyde M. Reed
United States (1871–1962) William Maxwell Reed
United Kingdom or India (1872–1969) Stanley Reed (UK politician)
United States (1874–1911) Myrtle Reed
United States (1874–1964) Dorothy Reed Mendenhall nee Reed
United States (1875–1959) Daniel A. Reed
England (1875–1975) Alfred Hamish Reed, emigrated to New Zealand
United States (1877–1943) Roy E. Reed
United States (1880–1953) David A. Reed
United States (1881–1935) James B. Reed
United Kingdom (1883–????) Lionel Reed
United States (1884–1968) Henry Reed (musician)
United States (1884–1980) Stanley Forman Reed
Canada (1887–1955) Guilford Bevil Reed
United States (1887–1920) John Reed (journalist)
United States (1887–1959) Theodore Reed
United States (1888–1961) Luther Reed
United States (1890–1938) Milt Reed
United States (1890–1956) Chauncey W. Reed
United States (1890–1959) Ted Reed
United States (1891–1973) Marshall Russell Reed
United States (1892–1978) Daniel Reed (actor)
Australia (1892–1970) Geoffrey Reed
United States (1894–1989) Vivian Reed (silent film actress)
England (1895–1976) Douglas Reed, emigrated to South Africa
United States (1899–1978) Robin Reed
United States (1899–1989) Philip D. Reed
Australia (1901–1981) John Reed (art patron)
United States (1904–1972) Sykes Reed
United States (1905–1971) Victor Joseph Reed
United States (1905–1979) Evelyn Reed
Australia (1905–1981) Sunday Reed, nee Baillieu
England (1906–1976) Carol Reed, took maternal surname rather than paternal (Tree)
India (1906–1991) Cyril Reed, emigrated to England
United States (1908–1996) Phillip Reed (actor)
United States (1910–1990) Albert Reed, Jr.
United States (1910–2014) H. Owen Reed
England (1914–1986) Henry Reed (poet)
United States (1916–2001) Walter Reed (actor)
United States (1916–2002) Ola Belle Reed
England (born 1916) John Reed (actor)
United States (1917–2007) Stanley Foster Reed
Ireland (1919–1974) Maxwell Reed
United States (1919–2015) Paul Reed (artist)
United States (1921–2005) Alfred Reed
United States (born 1921) John Hathaway Reed (same as John H. Reed)
United States (born 1923) Irving S. Reed
United States (born 1924) Jack Reed Mississippi politician
United States (1925–1976) Jimmy Reed blues musician
United States (c.1926–1970) Carol Reed (weather broadcaster)
Australia (1927) Ian Reed
United States (1927–1990) David E. Reed
United States (1927–2002) Barry Reed
Wales (1928–2003) Billy Reed
United States (borm 1928) Clarke Reed
United States (born 1932) Whitney Reed
United States (1932–1992) Robert Reed
United States (born 1933) Jack Reed (baseball)
United States (born 1934) Thomas C. Reed
England (born 1935) Les Reed (songwriter)
Canada (born 1936) Julian Reed
United States (1936–1984) Howie Reed
United States (born 1936) Hub Reed
England (born 1937)2 Laurance Reed, Terence James Reed
United States (born 1937) Jerry Reed country musician
United States (1938–1986) Dean Reed, permanently settled in East Germany in 1973
England (1938–1999) Oliver Reed, English actor
United States (born 1938) Rex Reed
United States (born 1938) Ishmael Reed (African American)
United States (born 1939)2 George Reed, John S. Reed
Canada (born 1939) Fred A. Reed
England (died 1940) Henry Herbert Reed
England (born 1942) Tracy Reed (English actress) nee Pelissier
United States (born 1942) Willis Reed (African American)
United States (1942–2013) Lou Reed musician
United States (born 1942)2 Michael C Reed (mathematician), Ron Reed
United States (1943–2003) Ellen Cannon Reed nee Cannon
United States (born 1943) Bob Reed
United Kingdom (born 1945) David Reed (politician)
United States (born 1944)2 Alvin Reed, Oscar Reed
United States (born 1945) Fred Reed
United States (born 1947) Francine Reed (African American)
United States (born 1948)2 Chuck Reed, Joe Reed (American football)
United States (born 1949) Tracy Reed (American actress) (African American)
United States (born 1949)4 Caitriona Reed, Jack Reed, Pamela Reed, Stephen R. Reed
United States (born 1952) Rondi Reed Actress
United States (born 1950) Rick Reed (umpire),
England (born 1952) Les Reed (football coach)
United States (born 1952) David P. Reed
United States (born 1954)3 Ann Reed, Butch Reed, Frank Reed
United States (born 1955)3 Jerry Reed (baseball), Kevin Reed, Mark Reed (physicist)
United States (born 1955) Preston Reed, emigrated to Scotland
United States (born 1956)2 Robert Reed (author), Shanna Reed
United States (born 1958) Alyson Reed
United States (born 1960) Doug Reed
United States (born 1961) Ralph E. Reed, Jr.
United States (born 1961) Donald G. Reed
United States (born 1962) Lewis E. Reed (politician Saint Louis Mo.)
United States (born 1962)2 Jeff Reed (baseball), Jody Reed
United States (born 1963) Dizzy Reed
England (born 1964) Andy Reed (politician)
United States (born 1964)3 Andre Reed, Peyton Reed, Rick Reed (pitcher)
United States (born 1965) Steve Reed (baseball)
United States (born 1967)2 Jake Reed, Jason Reed
United States (born 1967) Rodney Reed
United States (born 1969) John Reed (novelist)
United States (born 1970) Eric Reed (musician)
United States (born 1970) Killah Priest, born "Walter Reed"
United States (born 1971) Kira Reed
United States (born 1972) Brett Reed
United States (born 1973) Brian Reed
United States (born 1973) Tayo Reed
England (born 1973) Jamie Reed
United States (born 1974) Tanoai Reed
England (born 1975) Adam Reed (footballer born 1975)
United States (born 1977)2 Brandy Reed, James Reed
England (born 1978) Martin Reed
United States (born 1978)3 Dave L. Reed, Ed Reed, Jennie Reed
United States (born 1979)2 Jeff Reed (American football), Natina Reed
Australia (born 1980) Candice Reed
United States (born 1980)2 Eric Reed, Tatum Reed
United States (born 1980) Josh Reed
United States (born 1981) Jeremy Reed
United States (born 1981) Gary Reed (athlete), emigrated to Canada
United States (born 1981) Pete Reed, emigrated to United Kingdom
United States (born 1981) Rayshun Reed
United States (born 1982) J. R. Reed
United States (born 1982) Justin Reed
Australia (born 1982) Chad Reed
United Kingdom (born 1982) David Reed (comedian)
United States (born 1982) Tyler Reed
United States (born 1983) Eric Reed (soccer player)
United States (born 1984) Kerry Reed
England (born 1985) Stephen Reed (footballer)
United States (born 1985) Albert Reed
United States (born 1985) Crystal Reed
United Kingdom (born 1986) Lee Reed
England (born 1987) Jamie Reed (footballer)
United States (born 1987) Cathy Reed, emigrated to Japan
United States (born 1987) Chris Reed (ice hockey)
Canada (born 1988) Harrison Reed (ice hockey)
England (born 1988) Jack Reed (rugby league)
United States (born 1988) Nikki Reed (Jewish father)
United States (born 1989) Chris Reed, emigrated to Japan
United States (born 1990) Patrick Reed
United States (born 1991) Taylor Reed
United States (born 1992) Jake Reed (baseball)
United States (born 1993) A. J. Reed
England2 (living) James A. Reed (businessman), Jeremy Reed (writer)
United Kingdom3 (living) Julia Reed, Kate Reed, Mark Reed (figure skater)
United States26 (living) Adam Reed, Betty Reed, Daniel A Reed, Darrell Reed, Edward Reed (artist), Edward Reed (coach), Gary Reed (comic writer), Jack Reed (Mississippi), John K. Reed, John T. Reed, John Shedd Reed, Lawrence Reed, Lowell Reed, Pam Reed, Phil Reed, Ralph Reed (American Express), Sam Reed, Susan Reed, Thell Reed (Shooter), Tracy Reed (writer)
United States (living) Raphew Reed Jr, Leon Reed
Davis-Reed: United States (living) Timothy Davis-Reed
Pseudonyms and aliases
Mexico (1901–1973) Donald Reed, born "Ernesto Avila Guillen", emigrated to the United States
United States
(1907–1977) Alan Reed, born "Teddy Bergman"
(1921–1986) Donna Reed, born "Donnabelle Mullenger"
(1926–1983) B. Mitchel Reed, born "Burton Mitchel Goldberg"
(born 1946) Alaina Reed Hall, sometimes billed as 'Alaina Reed' (African American)
(living) Alto Reed, American saxophonist
Australian television: Shannon Reed, Curtis Reed (Home and Away)
Japanese anime and manga: Clow Reed, Kazana Reed, Fei Wong Reed
English literature: surname of Jane Eyre's aunt's family in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre
United States television: Curtis Reed, Billie Reed, Austin Reed (fiction), Lauren Reed, Malcolm Reed, Jonathan Reed (African American), Nikki Reed
Webcomics: Marten Reed from Questionable Content
"Reed" is an uncommon male and female given name. In the United States, 'Reed' fluctuated among ranks of 400th to 1100th from 1881 through 2006, showing peaks in 1995 (rank 414) and 1949 (417) and a nadir in 1886 (1079). Information for other countries has insufficient depth to detect use of 'Reed' as a given name.
United States
(1862–1941) Reed Smoot (U.S. Senator)
(1886–1961) Reed A. Albee
(1887–1964) Reed F. Cutler
(1894–1972) Reed Chambers
United States
(1911–1974) Reed Hadley
(1917-1986) Reed Sarratt
(1917–1982) Reed Crandall
(1922–2004) Reed Irvine
(born c.1942) Reed Wickner
Canada (born 1945) Reed Elley
United States2 (born 1948) Reed Hundt, Reed V. Hillman
United States2 (born 1949) Reed Waller, Reed Slatkin
United States
(born 1956) Reed Larson
(born 1963) Reed Pierce
(born 1967) Reed Diamond
(born 1972) Reed Cowan
(born 1976) Reed Johnson
Canada (born 1976) Reed Low
United States
(born 1980) Reed Gusciora
(born 1982) Reed Doughty
United States Reed Arvin
Pseudonyms and aliases
United States
Reed Cowan (born 'Darrin Reed Cowan')
Reed Erickson (born 'Rita Alma Erickson')
Reed Ghazala (born 'Qubais Reed Ghazala')
Reed Hastings (born 'Wilmot Reed Hastings, Jr.')
Reed Sorenson (born 'Bradley Reed Sorenson')
Reed Whittemore (born 'Edward Reed Whittemore Jr.')
United States television: Reed Garrett, Reed Pollock, Reed (Fresh Beat Band of Spies)
United States comics: Reed Richards
Anime: [Clow Reed]
