Find out how popular the last name Readus is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Readus.

Readus, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Readus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Readus in America

Readus is the 35057th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Readus surname appeared 643 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Readus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Readus to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Readus

The surname "READUS" is believed to have its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "read," meaning "red," and was likely an occupational surname given to someone who worked with red dyes or pigments.

The earliest recorded instance of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, compiled in 1273, which lists a "Willelmus le Reade." This spelling variation, "le Reade," suggests that the name was originally used as a descriptive nickname before becoming a hereditary surname.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various medieval records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a "Johannes Redhede" is mentioned in 1348. This spelling variation, "Redhede," further reinforces the connection to the color red and could have been an alternative form used in different regions.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Sir Thomas Readus, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War. He was born in Berkshire in 1385 and is recorded in the muster rolls of Henry V's army.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in the form "Readus" in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Devizes, Wiltshire, where a "John Readus" is listed as a churchwarden in 1576.

Another notable figure with the surname was William Readus, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was born in 1560 and served as Mayor of Bristol in 1610.

In the 18th century, a branch of the Readus family settled in the American colonies, with one of the earliest recorded instances being that of Samuel Readus, born in 1732 in Virginia. He later served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Another individual of note was Mary Readus, a philanthropist and social reformer born in 1795 in Liverpool, England. She was instrumental in establishing several charitable organizations and schools for underprivileged children in her hometown.

One of the most famous bearers of the name in recent history was Sir Edward Readus, a distinguished British diplomat who served as ambassador to several countries throughout the 20th century. He was born in 1892 in London and played a significant role in shaping international relations during his long career.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Readus

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Readus.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Readus was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Readus has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Readus was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Readus, please contact us.

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