Redman
A Native American name derived from the color red, signifying strength and power.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Redman. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Redman today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Redman births was 1918 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Redman. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Redman. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1918
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1918 SSA rank
#4,673
Tracked since 1918
Popularity
Redman: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Redman by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Redman during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Redman
The name Redman is an English name that originated in the Middle Ages, likely during the 12th or 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "read" meaning "red" and "man," referring to a person with reddish hair or a ruddy complexion. The name was initially used as a descriptive nickname or byname to distinguish individuals within a community.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Redman can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions a landowner named "Redeman" in Wiltshire, indicating the name's existence during the Norman period.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Redman was relatively common among English commoners and nobles alike. In the 14th century, a prominent figure named Sir Matthew Redman served as the Lord Chief Justice of England under King Edward III. He played a significant role in the development of English common law.
During the Renaissance period, the name Redman gained further recognition with the birth of John Redman (c. 1499 - 1551), an English Catholic prelate and scholar. He served as the Bishop of Norwich and was known for his contributions to theology and his involvement in the religious controversies of the time.
In the 17th century, another notable figure named Redman emerged: Sir John Redman (1608 - 1660), an English politician and soldier who fought for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. He was appointed Governor of Oxfordshire by King Charles I and played a crucial role in the defense of Oxford against the Parliamentarian forces.
Fast-forwarding to the 19th century, a prominent American figure named Lewis H. Redman (1822 - 1891) made his mark as a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He rose to the rank of Brigadier General and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery and leadership in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in 1864.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the name Redman throughout history. The name's origins can be traced back to Old English, and it has been a part of the English name tradition for centuries, carried by individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, clergy, soldiers, and scholars.
People
Redman + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Redman as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Redman: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Redman?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Redman going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Redman a common name?
We classify Redman as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Redman most popular?
The single biggest year for Redman was 1918, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Redman is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Redman in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Redman a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Redman in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Redman still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Redman in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Redman can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Redman?
Want to know how many Americans are named Redman? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.