Reid Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Reid last name means, where the surname began and where it was first recorded.
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Meaning and origin of the Reid last name
Meaning of the Reid last name: red-haired. Reid is the Scots form of the nickname "red", from Old English rēad, given to a man with red hair or a ruddy face. It is one of the twenty most common surnames in Scotland, especially in Aberdeenshire, Angus and the central Lowlands. In the Highlands it sometimes translated Gaelic Ruadh, "red". The spelling Reid distinguishes Scottish families from the English Reeds and Reads, and many Reids settled in Ulster. In the 18th and 19th centuries many Reids emigrated to Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Reid name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Reid name in Scotland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Canada and Northern Ireland; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Reid family history
Your full Reid pack adds the researched history, early records and migration. Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Reid coat of arms for you.
Reid name FAQ
What does the Reid name mean?
Red-haired. Common variants include Reed, Read, Reade.
Where does the Reid surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Northern Ireland.
Is there a Reid coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Reid crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Reid coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.