Redford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
It was in the Scottish/English Borderlands that the Strathclyde-Briton people first used the ancient name Redford. It was a name for someone who lived in Midlothian. However, the Redford family name comes from any of several place names in England called Redford, from Old English re-ad meaning "red" and ford, meaning "a place where a river can be crossed."
Early Origins of the Redford family
The surname Redford was first found in Midlothian, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Scotland to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.
Early History of the Redford family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Redford research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1404, 1535, 1547, 1611, 1612 and 1688 are included under the topic Early Redford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Redford Spelling Variations
Surnames that evolved in Scotland in the Middle Ages often appear under many spelling variations. These are due to the practice of spelling according to sound in the era before dictionaries had standardized the English language. Redford has appeared as Redford, Redfurd, Rudford, Reidford and others.
Early Notables of the Redford family
Notable amongst the family at this time was
- Sir Henry Redford (died 1404), English politician, Speaker of the House of Commons, who came of a family long settled in Lindsey, Lincolnshire
Redford Ranking
In the United States, the name Redford is the 9,513rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1
Redford migration to the United States +
The North American colonies beckoned, with their ample land and opportunity as their freedom from the persecution suffered by so many Clan families back home. Many Scots even fought against England in the American War of Independence to gain this freedom. Recently, clan societies have allowed the ancestors of these brave Scottish settlers to rediscover their familial roots. Among them:
Redford Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Mr. John Redford, (Reeford), aged 16, who arrived in Barbados in 1635 aboard the ship "Dorset" 2
- Martha Redford, who arrived in Virginia in 1664 2
- Charles Redford, who landed in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 2
Redford Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Grace Redford, who arrived in Georgia in 1733 2
Redford Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- James, John and Thomas Redford all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1870
Redford migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Redford Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- William Redford, English convict from Berkshire, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on October 22nd, 1824, settling in New South Wales, Australia 3
- Herbert Redford, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Sir Edward Parry" in 1849 4
Contemporary Notables of the name Redford (post 1700) +
- Robert Redford Jr. (b. 1936), born Charles Robert Redford, American two-time Academy Award winning actor, film director, producer and founder of the Sundance Film Festival, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
- James Redford (1962-2020), American documentary filmmaker and environmental activist, son of Robert Redford
- Emmette Redford (1904-1998), American political scientist and historian
- Amy Hart Redford (b. 1970), American actress, director, and producer, daughter of Robert Redford
- David Blair Redford (b. 1983), American actor, best known for playing Tyler "Ty" Mendoza in Switched at Birth
- Terry Redford, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1980 5
- Nancy Redford, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Idaho, 1972 5
- Mack Redford, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Idaho, 1972 5
- Janice Redford, American politician, Candidate for Wisconsin State Senate 13th District, 1978 5
- Carroll M. Redford, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kentucky, 1944, 1948 5
- ... (Another 8 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)
- State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1824 with 9 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1824
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The SIR EDWARD PARRY 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849SirEdwardParry.htm
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html