Where Does the Reading Surname Come From?

Whether you spell it Reading or Redding, the story begins in the same place. Taken at its root, Reading points to “Clearing”. Only a small detail separates the spellings: Reading has “a” where Redding has “d”. The same family of names includes Reding and Reddin.

The Census Bureau's 2010 surname file lists Reading with 2,982 bearers, at rank 10,715. It sits within the 25,000 most common last names in the country.

There is no single Reading family crest for every bearer. Herald Lab researches the arms historically associated with the name and explains whose they were. For the full story, order the Reading surname pack.