Contents [hide]

Reade History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Sources

Reade History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Reade

What does the name Reade mean?

The Reade surname is derived from the Old English word "read," meaning "red." It is most likely that the name was used as nickname for someone with red hair, before becoming their surname. 1 2

In other instances, the Reade surname no doubt came from some of the places so named in Britain, such as Read, Lancashire, Rede, Suffolk, and Reed in Hertfordshire. 3 4

Early Origins of the Reade family

The surname Reade was first found in Northumberland where they held a family seat from early times. One branch was found at Troughend-Ward. "The present house was built in the last century (c. 1700) by EIrington Reed, Esq., who also greatly improved the place by planting, and whose ancestors were settled in the township at a remote date. " 5

Another branch of the family was found at Weston in Suffolk. "Weston Hall, the ancient seat of the family of Rede, a handsome mansion in the Elizabethan style, was partly taken down within a few years, and the remainder converted into a farmhouse." 5

The first record of the family dates back to Saxon times when Leofwine se Reade was listed as an Old English Byname (1016-1020.) Years later, William Red was found in the Pipe Rolls for Gloucestershire in 1176 and William le Red was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1332. In Lancashire, the first record there was that of Hugo le Rede in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1220 and later in Sussex we found Hamo le Reed in the Subsidy Rolls for 1296. Later in Sussex, Thomas Read was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327. In Hertfordshire, the Curia Regis Rolls include an entry for Ralph de Rede in 1203 and in Suffolk, John de Rede was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. 6

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two entries for the family: Godwin le Rede, Norfolk; and Roger le Rede, Herefordshire. 7 The source Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I. included an entry for Robert le Rede, Surrey, Henry III-Edward I. 8

In Somerset, William Red and Robertte Rede were listed 1 Edward III (in the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 9

Early History of the Reade family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Reade research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1385, 1394, 1396, 1397, 1415, 1416, 1502, 1511, 1519, 1541, 1551, 1579, 1587, 1588, 1593, 1600, 1606, 1609, 1617, 1619, 1620, 1624, 1626, 1644, 1669, 1683, 1687, 1692, 1694, 1705, 1715, 1721, 1745, 1758, 1795, 1866, 1868 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Reade History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Reade Spelling Variations

The name Reade, appeared in many references, and from time to time, the surname was spelt Read, Reid, Reed, Reede, Redd, Reade and others.

Early Notables of the Reade family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

William Rede or Reade (died 1385), Bishop of Chichester, a native of the diocese of Exeter; Robert Reed (died 1415), Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Bishop of Carlisle and Bishop of Chichester; Sir J...

Reade Ranking

In the United States, the name Reade is the 17,593^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 10

Migration of the Reade family to Ireland

Some of the Reade family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 152 words (11 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Reade migration to the United States +

The New World beckoned as many of the settlers in Ireland, known as the Scotch/Irish, became disenchanted. They sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. Some called them, less romantically, the "coffin ships." Amongst the early settlers who could be considered kinsmen of the Reade family, or who bore a variation of the surname Reade were

Reade Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Esdras Reade, who settled in Boston in 1630
George Reade, who settled in Boston in 1635
Justus Reade, who settled in Boston 1635
Mabel Reade, who settled in Boston 1635
Mr. Thomas Reade of Essex who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Reade Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Reade (1688-1756), English settler to America, one of the six founders of the city of Charlestown
Joseph Reade, who landed in Virginia in 1740 12

Reade migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Reade Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Margaret Reade, aged 28, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Fortune" 13
Bridget Reade, aged 22, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Europa" 14
Mr. John Reade, English convict who was convicted in Knutsford (Nether Knutsford), Cheshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Edwin Fox" on 24th August 1858, arriving in Western Australia, Australia

Reade migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Reade Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. James Reade, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Kingston" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 29th December 1858 15
Mr. Redmond Reade, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Kingston" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 29th December 1858 15
John Reade, aged 33, a farmer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rodney" in 1875
Lucretia Reade, aged 32, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rodney" in 1875
Mary Reade, aged 5, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rodney" in 1875
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Reade (post 1700) +

Bob Reade (1932-2020), American football coach, College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 1998
Walter Reade Jr (1916-1973), American President and Board Chairman of the Walter Reade Organization, son of Walter Reade Sr
Edwin Godwin Reade (1812-1894), American politician, Confederate States Senator from North Carolina in 1864, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina (1855-1857)
Walter Reade Sr (1884-1952), American theater founder of a chain of theatres which grew from a single theatre in Asbury Park, New Jersey, founder of The Walter Reade Organization
R. P. Reade, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Carolina, 1944 16
Joseph Bancroft Reade (1801-1870), English chemist, microscopist, and photographic discoverer, eldest son of Thomas Shaw Bancroft Reade; he discovered a mode of separating heat-rays from those of light by the use of a hemispherical lens, so as to enable pictures to be taken with safety by means of cemented achromatic objectives
John Edmuind Reade (1800-1870), English poetaster and novelist, born in 1800 at Broadwell, Gloucestershire, was the son of Thomas Reade of Barton Manor, Berkshire
Edward Anderdon Reade (1807-1886), English Anglo-Indian official, born at Ipsden, Oxfordshire, on 15 March 1807, fifth son of John Reade of Ipsden, a property which has been in the possession of the family since 1581
Nicholas Stewart Reade (b. 1946), English prelate, Bishop of Blackburn (2004-2012)
Paul Reade (1943-1997), English composer from Lancashire
... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Reade Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Pax copia
Motto Translation: Peace, plenty.

Sources +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199â€“1216)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
South Australian Register Thursday 8th June 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Fortune 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/fortune1854.shtml
South Australian Register Monday 14th May 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Europa 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/europa1855.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html