Where the Reed name comes from

Reed is usually a remark about somebody's colouring. It is the adjective red, given to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion, and Reid is the same name with a Scottish spelling. Two other Reeds exist alongside it: one from the Old English reodan, to clear out, and one from places in England such as Reed in Lancashire and Rede in Suffolk. A name this short and this old collected spellings faster than anyone could standardise them.