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

Redfield, 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 Redfield surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Redfield in America

Redfield is the 11443rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Redfield surname appeared 2,752 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 Redfield.

We can also compare 2010 data for Redfield 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 Redfield

The surname Redfield is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "read" meaning red, and "feld" meaning field or open land. This suggests the name originally referred to someone who lived near a red field or red land.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1198, which mention a William de Redfeld. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list a John de Redefeld in Oxfordshire. These early spellings highlight the name's evolution from the original Old English words.

During the medieval period, the name appeared in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. It is likely that the name emerged independently in different regions, as families often adopted surnames based on the local topography.

In the 14th century, records show a Robert Redefeld serving as a juror in Nottinghamshire in 1349. Additionally, the Poll Tax returns of 1379 list a John Redfeld in Yorkshire.

One of the earliest notable individuals with this surname was William Redfield, a prominent landowner in Wiltshire who lived in the late 15th century. His family's estates were located in the village of Redfield, which may have derived its name from the family themselves.

In the 17th century, a notable figure was James Redfield (1623-1711), an English Puritan minister who emigrated to New England and served as a pastor in Connecticut.

Another significant bearer of the name was John Redfield (1604-1660), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. He supported the Parliamentarian cause and was known for his staunch Puritan beliefs.

The 18th century saw the rise of John Redfield (1769-1839), a notable English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

In the 19th century, William C. Redfield (1789-1857) was an American meteorologist and inventor who made significant contributions to the study of hurricanes and atmospheric dynamics. He developed the Redfield Criterion, a formula used to estimate the wind speed of a hurricane based on its central pressure.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Redfield

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

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

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

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