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

Redfern, 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 Redfern surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Redfern in America

Redfern is the 9712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Redfern surname appeared 3,340 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Redfern.

We can also compare 2010 data for Redfern 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 Redfern

The surname Redfern traces its origins back to England, where it was first recorded in the late 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "read" meaning red and "fearn" meaning fern, suggesting that the original bearers of the name lived near an area abundant with red ferns or bracken.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1199, where a William de Redfern is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already in use and potentially established in the region by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Redeferne, Reddeferne, and Reddefern, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that era. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 mention a John de Redferne, providing further evidence of the name's existence in medieval England.

During the 14th century, the name continued to be documented, with records showing instances in areas like Lancashire and Yorkshire. In the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332, a Thomas de Redferne is listed, while the Poll Tax Returns of 1379 mention a John Redfern.

One notable early bearer of the name was John Redfern (c. 1405-1472), a prominent landowner and politician from Yorkshire, who served as a Member of Parliament for Beverley in 1449 and 1450.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various spellings, including Redfferne and Redfearne, as seen in the Parish Registers of Ecclesfield, Yorkshire, in 1591.

Another notable figure with the surname was Sir Walter Redfern (c. 1540-1614), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Malton in 1597.

As the centuries progressed, the Redfern name continued to be associated with various regions in England, particularly Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire. Notable bearers of the name include William Redfern (1774-1857), an English mathematician and astronomer, and Sir Benjamin Redfern (1798-1879), a British judge and colonial administrator in Australia.

Throughout its history, the surname Redfern has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, politicians, scholars, and professionals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bear this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Redfern

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

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 Redfern 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 Redfern 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 Redfern was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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