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Redding Surname Meaning & Origin

What the Redding last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.

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Meaning and origin of the Redding last name

Meaning of the Redding last name: clearing. Redding is an English surname from Reading in Berkshire, from the people of Reada, "red one", or from Old English ryding, "clearing". It is found in southern England. The soul singer Otis Redding carried this last name, which is common in America.

Arms associated with the Redding name

In English heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Redding name are described in a blazon, a short formal text.

Get your full Redding family history

This is only a glimpse of the Redding story. The full Redding history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Redding coat of arms. Get the full Redding report.

Redding name FAQ

What does the Redding name mean?

Clearing. Common variants include Reading, Reding.

Where does the Redding surname come from?

It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Is there a Redding coat of arms?

Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Redding coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.

Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).