Reid Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Reid Family History

Reid Family History

The ancient origin of the name Reid was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Reid is a nickname meaning 'red haired one' from a person with reddish hair. Variants include Read, Reade, Reed, Red and Readman. This name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout these countries. Examples of such are a Godwin le Rede, County Norfolk, and a Roger le Rede, County Herefordshire, who were recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273. A George Warde and Denys Reade were married in Saint Michaels, Cornhill, in the year 1568. A Martin Rede was recorded in the 'Fines Rolls', in the reign of Edward III. A Gilbert le Rede of Coul, Scotland, was committed to prison and died there in the year 1296. In Ireland the name is found mostly in Ulster, having been introduced there from Scotland with the Plantation. Reid is also a synonym of the name Mulderrig and sometimes a variant of Mulready, taken from the Gaelic O'Maoilbhrighde sept of Roscommon.The Reid family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Reid descendants.