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Redfern History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Redfern History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the name Redfern date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Redfern family lived in the region of Redfern in Lancashire.

Early Origins of the Redfern family

The surname Redfern was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat as Lords of the manor of Redfern near Rochdale, some say before the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Redfern family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Redfern research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1604, 1610 and 1616 are included under the topic Early Redfern History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Redfern Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Redfern are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Redfern include: Redferne, Redfern, Reedfern, Readfern, Reddfern, Redfearn, Redfinn, Redfyne and many more.

Early Notables of the Redfern family

Distinguished members of the family include

Redfern of Lancashire

Redfern Ranking

In the United States, the name Redfern is the 11,970^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Redfern migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Redfern or a variant listed above:

Redfern Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Isabel Redfern who settled in Massachusetts in 1635

Redfern Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Redfern, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1825 2
Edward Redfern, aged 24, who arrived in Kansas in 1869 2
Benjamin, Francis, James, John, Joseph, Robert, Samuel, and Thomas Redfern all, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1848 and 1880

Redfern migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Redfern Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Charles R Redfern, who landed in Esquimalt, British Columbia in 1862

Redfern migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Redfern Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Redfern, British Convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl Spencer" in May 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
Mr. William Redfern, English convict who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
John Redfern, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on October 16, 1826, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 5
Esther Redfern, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "The Stratheden" in 1850 6
William Redfern, aged 24, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hydaspes" in 1851 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Redfern migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Redfern Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss E. Redfern, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th March 1858 8
Mrs. Elizabeth Redfern, (b. 1820), aged 38, English settler from Lancashire travelling from London aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1859 9
Mr. Salathiel Redfern, (b. 1820), aged 38, English joiner from Lancashire travelling from London aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1859 9
Mr. William Redfern, (b. 1844), aged 14, English settler from Lancashire travelling from London aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1859 9
Miss Jane Redfern, (b. 1852), aged 6, English settler from Lancashire travelling from London aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1859 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Redfern (post 1700) +

Chris Redfern (b. 1964), American Democratic politician from the state of Ohio
John Redfern, American politician, Mayor of Hibbing, Minnesota, 1901 10
Fred C. Redfern, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from South Carolina, 1928 10
Francis W. Redfern (b. 1842), American Republican politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives from Clinton County, 1893-96 10
Donald B. Redfern, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Iowa 3rd District, 1988 10
Chris Redfern, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 2004, 2008; Ohio Democratic State Chair, 2008; Presidential Elector for Ohio, 2012 10
Alfred Redfern, American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Philadelphia County, 1879-80 10
James Frank Redfern (1838-1876), English sculptor, born at Hartington, Derbyshire
Philip Redfern, English Deputy Director, Office of Population, Census and Surveys
Sir Arthur Shuldham Redfern,
... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-spencer
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Andromeda voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1826 with 147 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1826
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The STRATHEDEN 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Stratheden.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HYDASPES 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Hydaspes.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html