1921 England and Wales Census records are now available!

On 6 January 2022 the 1921 England and Wales Census records were made available online via the FindMyPast website. The records have been indexed and are searchable via the usual methods. These records are only viewable on a pay-per-view basis and are not included in any of FindMyPast's existing subscriptions with the exception of the 12 month premium subscription.

Reed records on Ancestry

Ancestry is a major source of information if you are filling out your Reed family tree. Many large databases are available to search covering from births, deaths and marriages, military records, census records and immigration records with many other smaller collections too. Free trials are normally available and are a good way to fill out a lot of your tree quickly.

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Historical References

"REED. A form of RETD, q.v. 0 REID, READ, REED. An epithet surname meaning 'red haired' or 'ruddy complexioned.' "The spelling red is modem, like the pronunciation. The e was originally long, and in Chaucer MSS. the form is usually reed. In later English it was reede, read, reade; in Scottish reid" (Skeat, A Student's pastime, p. 195). In Latin charters it is rendered Rufus. Ade Ruffus witnessed resignation of the lands of Ingilbristoun dining hall 0 in 1204 (Dryburgh, p. 163), and William Rufus was juror on an inquest on the lands of Padevinan in 1259 (APS., i, p. 98; Bain, i, 2175). Gilbert le Rede' of Coul was committed to prison and died there in 1296 (Bain, n, p. 192). Red is found as a surname in Aberdeen in 1317 (SCM., v, p. 8), and it is one of the oldest in the parish of Kildrummy. Patrick dictus Rede was on an assize at Rane in 1335 (REA., i, p. 61), John Reed was collector of tithe in the deaneries of Stonnonth and Atholl in 1362 (ER., i, p. 110), and James Reed was bailie of the burgh of Stirling in 1364 (ibid., i, p. 146). Reeds were at one period a numerous dan in Kyle. The first of the name there recorded is probably William Rede, son of John Reede, who had a confirmation of the lands and pertinents of liairskemyn in Kyle in 1375 (RMS., i, 496). John Rede is in record in the parish of Morton in 1376 (RHM., i, p. Ivi), William Rede held Wester Pitfoddels in wadset from his cousin Alexander de Moravia in 1389 (Stodart, n, p. 367), William Rede, dominus de Ranystoun, was present at the perambulation of the lands of Tarwas and Uldny in 1417 (RAA., n, p. 50), and Wil Red was tenant of Wester Drumme in 1474 (dinar-Angus, i, p. 197). Joseph Reid (1843-1917), born in Ayrshire, was inventor of the Reid oil burner, which did so much to advance the oil industry in the United States. Reid is also used as an Englishing of Gaelic RUADH, q.v. The family of General John Reid (d. 1806-7), composer of the air The Garb of Old Gaul," and founder of the Chair of Music in Edinburgh University, was descended from Alastair Ruadh of Strathardle (15th cent.). The General was the first of his family to add the letter i to his name. In Aberdeenshire this surname has become confused with Rait and Reith. Reede 1477, Reide and Ride 1555, Reyd 1548, Rid 1612. 0 "(The surnames of Scotland. George Fraser Black, 1866-1948)

DNA

Sometimes you can run into a brick wall in your tree and you just don't have enough evidence to make that next step back in time. A DNA test can sometimes help to make a link to a particular family name if you find you share common DNA with people who have the same or similar surnames as each other. If you are lucky then you may get a match within a few generations and discover some Reed ancestors. Additionally, the modern DNA test can give you a breakdown of your ethnic mix - you may be surprised at the results!

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Birth, Death and Marriage Records for the Reed Family Tree

Birth, Death and Marriage records are often the best method of making the links to the Reed Genealogy that will form part of your family tree. Although records vary from country to country, they are normally the most formal record of a person's relations. From the sources below you will be able to find a birth record and, from that, a birth certificate can be ordered which lists the names of the mother and father, taking you back another generation in your tree. A marriage certificate may also list the names of the respective fathers of the bride and groom which may then help you to find them earlier in life on a census record enabling you to fill out more detail in the Reed family tree.

Check out Reed Parish Records at Find My Past.

Investigate the UK registered births, marriages and deaths for the Reed family name using the FreeBMD database.

Search Genealogy BankGenealogy Bank for Reed family records.

Check out MyHeritage for Reed family data.

Investigate the LDS Database for records of the Reed family.

Research the Reed surname using fold3 Military Archives and view images of original Reed Military records.

ukDid you know that there are currently 27473 people with the Reed surname in the UK? Reed is now ranked number 181 for popularity in the UK.

Reed Family Tree Databases

Study WikiTree for user contributed Reed family records. Collaboration is encouraged so that accuracy of Reed data can be verified or corrected by other users.

Explore MyTrees for information on the Reed family and people looking to contact living Reed relations.

Investigate GENi for Reed family records.

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Reed Forums

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ukDid you know that there are currently 370666 people with the Reed surname in the USA? Reed is ranked number 49 for popularity in the USA.

Miscellaneous Reed Databases

Look at the Ellis Island Database for information on the Reed family. This database contains over 25 million immigration records detailing passengers arriving in the United States of America.

Use the Surname Map project to look at the current distribution of the Reed surname in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Romania.