Read (surname)
Encyclopedia
Derivation
The name is most likely to derive from rēad, the Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
(Old English) term for the colour red. As a name it is believed to have originally been descriptive of person's complexion or hair being ruddy or red. Old English had spelling variants depending on dialect, rēad was the form in West Saxon, rēid was the spelling characteristic of Northumbrian English. This variation is probably fossilised in the modern name variants, Read and Reid
Reid
Reid is a surname of Scottish and Irish origin, and is the 90th most common surname in the UK.It may refer to:* Reid Caldwell, Species undefined.* Reid, Australian Capital Territory, inner suburb of Canberra, Australia...
. There is a settlement in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
called Read, the name deriving from an Old English term meaning roe[deer]-headland, this may also account for some Read surnames.
Historical use
As a personal name a grammatical form of Read, Reada, was used at the earliest stages of English history. The English town of ReadingReading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
on the River Thames derives its name from a very early English tribal or community group called the Readingas
Readingas
The Readingas were a tribe or clan of early Anglo-Saxon England, whose territory adjoined that of the Sunningas to the east and that of the Basingas to the south. The name literally means means "Rēada's people" and later gave its name to the town of Reading.-Bibliography:*...
. The Readingas appear to have been named after a chieftain called Reada, "The Red One," with the addition of the element -ingas meaning "the people of." The first written use of the name is that of a Leofwine se Reade (Leofwine the Red), in the time of King Canute, dating to 1016-1020. However, this usage would have been as a descriptive by-name as inherited family surnames had not yet become established. A variant spelling is found in the person of Godwin le Rede, recorded in Norfolk in 1273, and a Thomas Read is recorded in 1327; their use of the name would have been as a heritable surname. A Read family was prominent in early American history, George Read
George Read (signer)
George Read was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a Continental Congressman from Delaware, a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, President of Delaware, and a member of the...
of Delaware was signatory to the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution.
Politics and government
- Almon H. ReadAlmon Heath ReadAlmon Heath Read was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Almon Heath Read was born in Shelburne, Vermont. He graduated from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, in 1811. He served as county clerk from 1815 to 1820...
(1790–1844), lawyer and U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania - George Read (Canadian politician)George Read (Canadian politician)George Read is the former leader of the Green Party of Alberta and formerly a key organizer for the federal Green Party of Canada in Alberta.- Green Party organizing :...
, politician and party leader from Alberta - George Read (signer)George Read (signer)George Read was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a Continental Congressman from Delaware, a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, President of Delaware, and a member of the...
(1733–1798), lawyer, signer of Declaration of Independence and U.S. Senator from Delaware - George Read (Ontario politician)George Read (Ontario politician)George Read was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He represented Peterborough East in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Conservative member from 1867 to 1874....
, (1819–after 1874), businessman and Member of Parliament from Ontario - George C. ReadGeorge C. ReadGeorge Campbell Read was a United States Naval Officer who served on Old Ironsides during the War of 1812 and commanded vessels in actions off the Barbary Coast and India. Read eventually rose to the rank of rear admiral....
, (1788–1862), sailor and American Rear-Admiral - George E. ReadGeorge E. ReadGeorge E. Read was an American sailor who received the Medal of Honor for valor in action during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
, (1838–1910), sailor and American Medal of Honor recipient - Jacob ReadJacob ReadJacob Read was an American lawyer from Charleston, South Carolina. He represented South Carolina in both the Continental Congress and the United States Senate .- External links :...
(1752–1816), lawyer and U.S. Senator from South Carolina - John E. ReadJohn Erskine ReadJohn Erskine Read, OC was a Canadian lawyer, civil servant, and the only Canadian judge elected to the International Court of Justice.-Education:...
(1888–1973), lawyer and international jurist from Canada - John K. ReadJohn Kingsley ReadJohn Kingsley Read was chairman of the British National Front from 1974 to 1976 and a founder of the National Party.A former member of the Conservative Party and chairman of the Blackburn Young Conservatives, Read left to join the NF in 1973 having addressed a rally against the arrival of Ugandan...
(1937–1985), politician from the United Kingdom - John M. ReadJohn M. ReadJohn Meredith Read was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was one of the founders of the Republican Party and Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.-Early life:...
(1797–1874), lawyer and jurist from Pennsylvania - Imelda M. ReadMel ReadImelda Mary Read, known as Mel Read is a British politician, and former Labour Party member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands.She became an MEP in 1994, representing the Nottingham and Leicestershire North West constituency until 1999....
, politician and member of the E.U. Parliament from the United Kingdom - Nathan ReadNathan ReadNathan Read was a United States Representative from Massachusetts. Born in Warren, he attended the common schools and graduated from Harvard University in 1781. He taught school in Beverly and Salem and was elected a tutor in Harvard University, where he continued until 1787...
(1759–1849), teacher and U.S. Representative from Massachusetts
Military and naval
- Abner ReadAbner ReadAbner Read was an officer of the United States Navy who distinguished himself in the American Civil War. He died of injuries sustained while patrolling the Mississippi River, in command of the...
(1821–1863), U.S. naval officer - A. C. (Putty) ReadAlbert Cushing ReadAlbert Cushing "Putty" Read was an aviator and Rear Admiral in the United States Navy.-Biography:Read was born in Lyme, New Hampshire into a Boston Brahmin family. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, graduating in the Class of 1907. In 1915, he was designated Naval Aviator No. 24.As...
(1887–1967), aviator and U.S. naval admiral - Anketell M. ReadAnketell Moutray ReadAnketell Moutray Read VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Background:...
(1884–1915), English recipient of the Victoria Cross - Charles Read (1840–1890), U.S. and Confederate naval officer
- Francis G Read (SAS 2 Commoando)- born 1936- hometown of australia-Melobourne, current location-Donnybrook
Entertainment
- Anthony ReadAnthony ReadAnthony "Tony" Read is a British script editor, television writer and author. He was principally active in British television from the 1960s to the mid-1980s, although he occasionally contributed to televised productions until 1999. Starting in the 1980s, he launched a second career as a print...
, English scriptwriter and editor - Howard ReadHoward ReadHoward Oliver Drinkwater Read is a British comedian, animator and aspiring song writer best known for his work with his animated sidekick, Little Howard. His other creations include an angry manager with a conversational style and the worldview of Bernard Manning, Roger T Pigeon, and H:BOT 2000, a...
, British comedian - James ReadJames ReadJames Christopher Read is an American actor, best known for his role of George Hazard in the North and South television miniseries.-Early life:...
(born 1953), American television actor - John D. ReadJohn Dawson ReadJohn Dawson Read is an English singer-songwriter.Born in Wokingham, Berkshire, England, Read first came to prominence in 1975 with his debut album A Friend of Mine Is Going Blind, released on Chrysalis Records. The album's title song was written by Read for a friend of his who suffered from...
, English singer-songwriter - Mike ReadMike ReadMichael David Kenneth Read is an English radio disc jockey, writer, journalist and television presenter.-Early life:...
(born 1951), British disc jockey and TV presenter
Academics and literature
- Allen W. ReadAllen Walker ReadAllen Walker Read was an American etymologist and lexicographer, best known for his studies into the words "okay" and "fuck."...
(1906–2002), American etymologist and lexicographer - Benedict ReadBenedict ReadBenedict William Read is an English art historian, the son of the eminent art critic and poet Sir Herbert Read...
(born 1945), English art historian - Chopper ReadChopper ReadMark Brandon "Chopper" Read is an Australian ex-criminal, who wrote a series of semi-autobiographical and fictional crime novels. The 2000 film Chopper was based on his life.-Early life:...
(born 1954), Australian criminal and author - Daniel ReadDaniel ReadDaniel Read was an American composer of the First New England School, and one of the primary figures in early American classical music.-Life and work:...
(1757–1836), American composer - Florence M. ReadFlorence M. ReadFlorence Matilda Read was president of Spelman College from 1927-1953. Prior to that she was acting president of Atlanta University from 1936-1937....
, college president - Gardner ReadGardner ReadGardner Read was an American composer and musical scholar....
(1913–2005), American composer - Herbert ReadHerbert ReadSir Herbert Edward Read, DSO, MC was an English anarchist, poet, and critic of literature and art. He was one of the earliest English writers to take notice of existentialism, and was strongly influenced by proto-existentialist thinker Max Stirner....
(1893–1968), English poet - Leonard ReadLeonard ReadLeonard E. Read was an American economist and the founder of the Foundation for Economic Education, which was the first modern free market think tank in the United States....
(1898–1983), American think tank founder - Matthew Canfield Read (1825-1902), American geologist and ethnologist
- Miss ReadMiss ReadDora Jessie Saint MBE née Shafe , best known by the pen name Miss Read, is an English novelist, by profession a schoolmistress. Her pseudonym is derived from her mother's maiden name. She began writing for several journals after World War II and worked as a scriptwriter for the BBC.Saint wrote a...
(1913-) the pen name of Dora Jessie Saint, British author - Opie ReadOpie ReadOpie Percival Read was a prolific American journalist and humorist. His bibliography lists 60 published books.-As a journalist:...
(1852–1939), American journalist and humorist - Piers P. ReadPiers Paul ReadPiers Paul Read, FRSL is a British novelist and non-fiction writer.-Background:Read was born in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire...
(born 1941), British novelist and non-fiction author - Ronald K. ReadRonald Kingsley ReadRonald Kingsley Read was one of four contestants chosen to share the prize money for the design of the Shavian alphabet, a completely new alphabet intended for writing English...
(1887–1975) English developer of Quikscript, an alphabet - Richard ReadRichard ReadRichard Read is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist and a senior staff writer for The Oregonian newspaper in Portland, Oregon.-Early life:...
(born 1957), American journalist - Thomas B. ReadThomas Buchanan ReadThomas Buchanan Read , was an American poet and portrait painter.-Biography:Read was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania on March 12, 1822....
(1822–1872), American poet
Science and technology
- Carveth ReadCarveth ReadCarveth Read was a 19th and 20th century British philosopher and logician. He was Grote professor of philosophy of mind and logic at the University College London from 1903 to 1911.-Bibliography:...
, British philosopher and logician - Charles Read (mathematician)Charles Read (mathematician)Charles Read is a British mathematician known for his work in functional analysis. In operator theory, Read is best known for his work in the 1980s on the invariant subspace problem, where he constructed operators with only trivial invariant subspaces on particular Banach spaces, especially on...
, British - Herbert H. ReadHerbert Harold ReadHerbert Harold Read FRS, FRSE, FGS, was a British geologist and Professor of Geology at Imperial College...
, British geologist
Sports
- Charles Read (squash player)Charles Read (squash player)Charles R. Read was a professional squash player from England, where professional squash began in 1907. Read was based at the Queen's Club in London, and beat C. Bannister of the Bath Club 15-5, 15-13 at the Bath Club to win the first English professional championship title...
(fl.FloruitFloruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1920s), English - Chris ReadChris ReadChristopher Mark Wells Read is an English cricketer, a wicket-keeper who is the captain of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club...
(born 1978), English cricketer - Hopper ReadHopper ReadHolcombe Douglas 'Hopper' Read was an English cricketer who played in one Test in 1935....
(1910–2000), English cricketer - Ken ReadKen ReadKen Read, CM is a retired Canadian Olympic alpine ski racer, Corporate Director, sport advocate and international sports leader....
(born 1955), Canadian skier - Maurice ReadMaurice ReadJohn Maurice Read was an English professional cricketer. Wrote Harry Altham of him in that truly magisterial work, A History of Cricket, "Maurice Read had been recognised as a dashing player up to Test Match form, to say nothing of being a wonderful fielder in the country." A hard-hitting and,...
(1859–1929), English cricketer - Phil ReadPhil ReadPhillip William Read is an English former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer nicknamed "The Prince of Speed." Although he would often be overshadowed by his contemporary, Mike Hailwood, he would become the first man to win world championships in the 125cc, 250cc and 500cc classes.-Biography:In 1964,...
(born 1939), English motorcycle racer - Walter ReadWalter ReadWalter William Read was an English cricketer, who was a fluent right hand bat. An occasional bowler of lobs, he sometimes switched to quick overarm deliveries. He captained England in two Test matches, winning them both...
(1855–1907), English cricketer
Other
- Blue Tulip Rose ReadBlue Tulip Rose ReadBlue Tulip Rose Read was the infamous stalker of British TV and radio personality Mike Read. She was featured in a film made by Jaine Green for Channel Four in 1996 entitled "I'm Your Number One Fan." The film was run as part of Channel Four's "Fame Factor" season, which examined the dark side of...
, English stalker - Deborah ReadDeborah ReadDeborah Read Franklin was the spouse of Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, and a prominent inventor, printer, thinker, and revolutionary.-Life Before Second Marriage:...
(1708–1774), the wife of Benjamin Franklin - Gabriel ReadGabriel ReadGabriel Read was an Australian gold prospector who, after working on the goldfields of California and Victoria, Australia travelled to New Zealand, having heard rumours of gold being found in Mataura, Southland. On 20 May 1861, he discovered gold close to the banks of the Tuapeka River in Otago,...
, Australian gold prospector - Mary ReadMary ReadMary Read was an English pirate. She is chiefly remembered as one of only two women known to have been convicted of piracy during the early 18th century, at the height of the Golden Age of Piracy....
(c. 1690–1721), English pirate
Similar surnames
these are not necessarily related, but are similar in pronunciation or spelling- ReadeReadeReade is a surname of English origin, and may refer to:* Brian Reade, a British journalist* Charles Reade, an English novelist* Charles Reade * Duane Reade, an American drugstore* Edwin Godwin Reade, an American politician...
, alternate spelling of the surname - Reed (name)Reed (name)Reed may be either a surname or given name.-Reed as a surname:"Reed" is a variant of the surname "Read", which is commonly believed to be a nickname-derived surname referring to a person's complexion or hair being ruddy or red....
- ReidReidReid is a surname of Scottish and Irish origin, and is the 90th most common surname in the UK.It may refer to:* Reid Caldwell, Species undefined.* Reid, Australian Capital Territory, inner suburb of Canberra, Australia...
Other
- George Read II House, historic home of the son of George Read (signer)George Read (signer)George Read was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a Continental Congressman from Delaware, a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, President of Delaware, and a member of the...
. - Read family of DelawareRead family of DelawareThe Read family of Delaware were a prominent political family in the 18th and 19th centuries in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It was founded by John Read, a wealthy Englishman who was one of the founders of Chestertown, Maryland.-Family Members:...