[69] A follow-up study by the same group showed that men and women with red hair had a greater analgesic response to morphine-6-glucuronide. There is little or no evidence to support the belief that people with red hair have a higher chance than people with other hair colors to hemorrhage or suffer other bleeding complications. [114] Others, however, maintain it is acceptable. Most (natural) redheads will have brown eyes, followed by hazel or green shades. In purely numerical terms, it is highly likely that the US has the highest number of people. Some scientific studies have found that bees are more attracted to people with red hair. Q. If one of these changes is present on both chromosomes then the respective individual is likely to have red hair. One consequence of this is that a number of people have both dark hair and red beards. 35. Another redhead origin story says redheads are descended from Vulcan, the Greek god of the forge. The hair color "Titian" takes its name from the artist Titian, who often painted women with red hair. When you buy through the links on our site we may earn a commission. Some pagans even dye their hair red on purpose using henna. Nurit Benchetrit, now a graduate of the NB Haifa School of Design, asked redheads who live in Israel to let her take their picture for her final project. A: According to research, red hair is statistically more common in women than in men. concluded that red hair is not the result of positive selection but of a lack of negative selection. [98] A possible fringe theory explaining the historical and modern mistreatment of red-heads supposedly stems from subjugation and consequent persecution of Celtic Nations. If you liked our suggestions for incredible facts about redheads, then why not take a look at Love facts, or Capricorn facts. Several accounts by Greek writers mention redheaded people. Boars taught the experts that redheads may be at high risk for cellular damage from free radicals, and a study of more than 1,400 species of birds suggested that the pigment may be associated with smaller brain size. Pharaoh Ramses II, one of Ancient Egypt's greatest pharaohs, was thought to have been a redhead. The Ancient Greeks also thought Helen of Troy and the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite, had natural ginger hair. And in most of Africa it is exceedingly rare to see somebody with red hair. The percentage typically ranges from approximately 2%-6%, and it apparently has the largest ginger population in the world. 16. 64. 70. 55. The USA has the highest redhead population of any country in the world, boasting between 6 and 18 million redheaded citizens. 1. The results? Fun and lighthearted red hair facts to keep you entertained. " In Ireland about 10 per cent have red hair, but it appears that a staggering 46 per cent are carriers of the red head variants," Moffat told the Daily Telegraph, " For England, the estimate is 6. 54. BritainsDNA conducted the biggest study of redhead genetics in the country, with more . The sex lives of women with red hair were clearly more active than those with other hair colors, with more partners and having sex more often than the average, Hamburg sex researcher Professor Werner Habermehl told the Daily Mail, after leading a survey of 6,000 German women through the Hamburg Medical Research Institute in Germany. Agriculture % of GDP. Eighty percent of redheads have an MC1R gene variant within the RHC. We rely on sunshine to make vitamin D and if you have very dark skin, it's harder to make that vitamin D.". The Hebrew word usually translated "ruddy" or "reddish-brown" (admoni , from the root ADM , see also Adam and Edom)[137][138][139] was used to describe both Esau and David. Less than two percent of the world's population has naturally red hair. Discrepancies may result from various issues, such as the frequency of updating compared with other sources. ", In his 1895 memoir and history The Gurneys of Earlham, Augustus John Cuthbert Hare described an incident of harassment: Other reports indicate that the country may have a 5% redhead ratio overall. Click on the name of the country or dependency for current estimates (live population clock), historical data, and projected figures. Some people say redheads bruise easily, but this may just be down to redheads' pale skin showing bruises more clearly. Redheads are often said to have a hot temper because red is associated with fire and danger. You have to remember, however, most of them probably have European descendants. Both parents must be carriers of the mutated MC1R gene to be able to produce redhead offspring, of which there is a 25% chance if they don't have red hair themselves. [121], A smaller red-hair day festival is held since 2013 by the UK's anti bullying alliance in London, with the aim of instilling pride in having red-hair. This map shows the stark gap between vaccination programs . We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. The three men were subsequently jailed for a combined total of ten years and one month for the attack. 3. 21. Interestingly, King Arthur, Queen Elizabeth I and Winston Churchill all had red hair. [72][73] One study, however, reports a link between red hair and a higher rate of bruising.[73]. [86], Red hair was thought to be a mark of a beastly sexual desire and moral degeneration. A small study in the journal Anesthesiology found that redheaded women required 19 percent more of the anesthesia desflurane to be put to sleep than women with dark hair. Scientists have found evidence that Neanderthals had a similar gene to the one that gives humans red hair. To explain this, you have to go back tens of thousands of years, says Rees. Facts and frequently asked questions about the worlds most unusual hair colour. [58] Other blogs and news sources ran similar stories that attributed the research to the magazine or the "Oxford Hair Foundation". Scientists think the bright color reminds them of flowers. [fn 1][9], Byzantine writers, Jordanes and Procopius described the early Slavic peoples as having ruddy hair and skin tone. The majority of red haired individuals are of northern and western European ancestry. 41. A: Debra Messing, best known for her turn in Will and Grace, is naturally blonde but is one of the worlds best loved redheads. This article includes content provided by Google. [102] However, children with red hair are often themselves targeted by bullies; "Somebody with ginger hair will stand out from the crowd," says anti-bullying expert Louise Burfitt-Dons.[103]. [111], In September 2011, Cryos International, one of the world's largest sperm banks, announced that it would no longer accept donations from red-haired men due to low demand from women seeking artificial insemination.[112]. [109] Alexander responded to the insult by stating that he was "proud to be ginger". [80] Such beliefs were given a veneer of scientific credibility in the 19th century by Cesare Lombroso and Guglielmo Ferrero. Percentage of Facebook users expressing interest in a list of 26 famous American redheads. The mainly masculine given name Rory a name of Goidelic origin, which is an anglicisation of the Irish: Ruair/Ruaidhr/Ruaidhrgh/Raidhrgh, Scottish Gaelic: Ruairidh and Manx: Rauree[118] which is common to the Irish, Highland Scots and their diasporas[119] means "red-haired king", from ruadh ("red-haired" or "rusty") and rgh ("king"). According to a 2010 meta-analysis in the International Journal of Cancer, a fact about redheads is that they are about two and a half times as likely to develop the dangerous skin cancer as people with other hair colors. Red hair frequency is especially significant among the Riffians from Morocco and Kabyles from Algeria,[24][25][26] respectively. In Africa, most people with red hair live in Morocco and Algeria. One of the many facts about redheads is that their hair will never turn gray. "[90], In British English, the word "ginger" is sometimes used to describe red-headed people (at times in an insulting manner),[91] with terms such as "gingerphobia"[92] and "gingerism"[93] used by the British media. 1 in 10 Irish people has red hair, making them second in the world after Scotland for number of redheads per capita. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so its important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. In Britain, redheads are also sometimes referred to disparagingly as "carrot tops" and "carrot heads". Nicole Hahn Rafter (ed), Lombroso & Ferraro, Discrimination against people with red hair, "Celts' red hair could be attributed to the cloudy weather", "Auld Reekie is world capital for ginger hair", "Edinburgh is surprise capital of redheaded Britain and Ireland", "Memoir on the Pigmentation Survey of Scotland", "Pastoralists and mobility in the Oglakhty cemetery of southern Siberia: new evidence from stable isotopes", Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, "Journal of the Polynesian Society: Front Matter P 1-6", Xenophanes of Colophon: Fragments, Xenophanes, J. H. Lesher, University of Toronto Press, 2001, "Characterization of melanocyte stimulating hormone receptor variant alleles in twins with red hair", "Evidence for Variable Selective Pressures at MC1R", "Hair color gene study sheds new light on roots of redheads' locks", "Genome-wide study of hair colour in UK Biobank explains most of the SNP heritability", "Why do some men have red beards, but not red hair? A similar English study found that redhead gals had sex an average of three times a week, while our blonde and brunette counterparts have it twice a week. The pigment in their hair that causes it to be red will just fade over time, causing their hair to turn blonde or white, but never gray. However, some red-bearded people lack MC1R genes. [67] However, a later study of 468 healthy adult patients found no significant difference in recovery times, pain scores or quality of recovery in those with red compared with dark hair in either men or women.[70]. [19] The medieval prejudice against red-hair may have derived from the Ancient biblical tradition, in relation to biblical figures such as Esau and King David. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Russia just might be named after a redhead: the name is thought to come from a Viking called Rurik, meaning 'red'. If you can't see the questions below, you can respond here. Shame the fellas weren't questioned, too. Listen to our podcast. Great Britain also has a high percentage of people with red hair. They concluded that red hair was associated with crimes of lust, and claimed that 48% of "criminal women" were redheads. This country reportedly has up to 18 million redheads as of 2018. The National Geographic article in fact states "while redheads may decline, the potential for red isn't going away". Q: Red hair is beautiful, but are there any disadvantages to being a redhead? The number of alleles linked to red hair has since been expanded by other authors, and these variants are now identified as the RHC alleles. Services % of GDP. However, present bearers of the name are by no means all red-haired themselves. [8] A 1956 study of hair colour among British Army recruits also found high levels of red hair in Wales and in the Scottish border counties of England. 39. During the early stages of modern medicine, red hair was thought to be a sign of a sanguine temperament. 49. Last nights hair goals achieved thanks to @ryanrichman , #mirandahobbes #sexandthecity #satc #satclines, See you tonight Minneapolis. A detailed history, The ending of Sex/Life season 2 explained, The top hairdryers for a salon-like shine, "My hair barely grew, until I tried this", 13 clarifying shampoos to detox your hair, "My thoughts on Pattern Beauty's blow dryer", Kim K's new bangs are a throwback to 2012, 14 dry shampoos that *perform* on greasy hair days. For other uses, see, Medical implications of the red hair gene, Prejudice and discrimination against redheads. What Percentage of the World Population Has Red Hair? A: Yes, red hair is recessive. Founding Father and third President of the US Thomas Jefferson was a redhead. The festival was held in Breda, a city in the south east of the Netherlands, prior to 2019, when it moved to Tilburg. This does not influence our choices. Ireland boasts the highest national average of redheads with 10 percent, while Scotland comes a closesecond with six percent. [81], Queen Elizabeth I of England was a redhead, and during the Elizabethan era in England, red hair was fashionable for women. 65. [19], In Italy, red hair is found at a frequency of 0.57% of the total population, without variation in frequency across the different regions of the country. It turns out it was a mistake. [97] In 2013, a fourteen-year-old boy in Lincoln had his right arm broken and his head stamped on by three men who attacked him "just because he had red hair". The lower melanin concentration in skin confers the advantage that a sufficient concentration of important Vitamin D can be produced under low light conditions. Lalla Salma, Morocco's Queen, names one famous person from this region who has red hair, by the way. We'd say that was catty, but it turns out Twain was a redhead himself. Brian Dowling Because they stand out, redheads are often bullied by their peers, ridiculed in pop culture, and perceived through negative stereotypes dating all the way back to medieval times. Even if both parents do not have red hair themselves, both can be carriers for the gene and have a redheaded child. It occurs more frequently (2-6%) in people of northern or western European ancestry, and less frequently in other populations. [133][134] His son Neoptolemus also bears the name Pyrrhus, a possible reference to his own red hair. This article contains incorrect information, This article doesnt have the information Im looking for. So where did Hitchins get the figure from? In Scotland around 6% of the population has red hair, with the highest concentration of red head carriers in the world found in Edinburgh, making it the red head capital of the world. Smaller numbers of redheads nest on valley marshes in the western U.S. and on river deltas in the boreal forest of northern Canada. He said their children would be "deviant". The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Some Ashkenazi Jews also have red hair. Most red hair is caused by the MC1R gene and is non-pathological. [3], Red hair is most commonly found at the northern and western fringes of Europe;[4] it is centred around populations in the British Isles and is particularly associated with the Celtic nations. 12. For example, Esau and David (Gen. 25:25; 1 Sam. Supernatural redhead facts from myth and legend to astonish and intrigue you. 37. A new study found that 30 percent of network television ads during prime time featured someone with red hair.In case you were wondering, no, redheads are not that common. One study. Mummies with red hair have been found as far afield as Peru and Egypt. The international event began in 2005, when Dutch painter Bart Rouwenhorst decided he wanted to paint 15 redheads. Ireland has the highest per capita percentage of redheads in the world -- anywhere from 10 to 30 percent, . 50. Agriculture % of total employment. However, when UV-radiation is strong (as in regions close to the equator) the lower concentration of melanin leads to several medical disadvantages, such as a higher risk of skin cancer. There seems to be some advantage in having pale skin if you live in parts of the world where there isn't much sunshine," he says. Theophilus Presbyter describes how the blood of a red-haired young man is necessary to create gold from copper, in a mixture with the ashes of a basilisk.[87]. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. However, it's most common in people of Northern European descent. A: While this may seem an outlandish question, numerous scientific studies have found that people with red hair have different (and often more intense) sensitivity to pain compared to those with other hair colours. But can it really be true that Scotland is home to almost a fifth of the world's redheads? She also runs a tutoring and mindfulness company called Recreate-U which helps people to reach their full educational potential through making them feel comfortable, safe, and happy in their learning environment. To celebrate, it hosted its first Ginger Pride celebration in 2013. Based on those figures, it would obviously put Scotland at the top of the hill when it comes to being king of the redheads. 42. Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! So, while two redheads wont produce a brunette, two brunettes could produce a redhead. GDP (PPP) per person employed by sector, 2015: [10] Country Name. [71] Melanocytes, the cells that produce pigment in skin and hair, use the MC1R to recognize and respond to MSH from the anterior pituitary gland. As science journalist Maggie Koerth-Baker writes, Actually, redheads are stealthily infiltrating the rest of humanity. Heres her proof: Even though only 2 percent of people have red hair, 4 percent have the gene that makes redheads. If the parent is a carrier but does not have ginger hair themselves, there is roughly a 25 percent chance their baby will have red hair. Other painters notable for their redheads include the Pre-Raphaelites, Edmund Leighton, Modigliani,[83] and Gustav Klimt.[84]. The MC1R gene is also responsible for freckles in many redheads. 52. This is due to their light, fair skin which is extremely sensitive to ultraviolet rays of sunlight. [62][63], Two studies have demonstrated that people with red hair have different sensitivity to pain to people with other hair colors. [6][7] In 1907, the largest ever study of hair colour in Scotland, which analysed over 500,000 people, found the percentage of Scots with red hair to be 5.3%. 20. Q: Where does red hair come from?A: Contrary to popular opinion, red hair did not originate in Scotland, Ireland or Scandinavia, but in central Asia. ), are described as "admoni", meaning red or ruddy.[44]. [11][12] Later by the 10th century, Southern Slavic populations would have darker hair and skin tone, as the Slavs assimilated the indigenous inhabitants of the Balkans, including Greek and Illyrian peoples. 11. We all like to know what makes us, us. A savage red-haired man is portrayed in the fable by Grimm brothers (Der Eisenhans) as the spirit of the forest of iron. According to estimates, 70-79% of the world's population have brown eyes, making it the most common eye color worldwide. blonde is less common but still widespread. But these men were called Typhonians, and were representatives not of Osiris but of his evil rival Typhon, whose hair was red. Studies have shown that red hair alleles in MC1R increase freckling and decrease tanning ability. Your privacy is important to us. [126], A festival to celebrate the red-haired people is held annually in Izhevsk (Russia), the capital of Udmurtia, since 2004. A lot of people think redheads have more adventurous and outgoing personalities than other hair colors. From the gene mutation that causes red hair to whether or not redheads are really more likely to get skin cancer, you'll find all the biological facts about redheads in this section. The number of 2-17 year olds who experienced the most severe forms of violence in the past year is estimated to be at least 64% of children in Asia, 56% in Northern America, 50% in Africa, 34% in Latin America, and 12% in Europe. However, redheads always have pale skin and are more susceptible to sunburn and associated melanomas than brunette or blonde haired individuals. The USA has a National Redhead Day, celebrated on 5 November. This is one of the many strange facts about redheads. Most probably in an interactive map. 68. Join CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta for the latest news about Covid-19. Blue eyes are similarly uncommon, and they may be becoming rarer. During the Spanish Inquisition, people of red hair were identified as Jewish and isolated for persecution. The term ang mo (Chinese: ; pinyin: hng mo; Peh-e-j: ng-mo) in Hokkien (Min Nan) Chinese, meaning "red-haired",[113] is used in Malaysia and Singapore, although it refers to all white people, never exclusively people with red hair. National Redhead Day was created in 2015 by Stephanie and Adrienne Vendetti, two red-headed sisters who wanted to celebrate their beautiful hair. Uyghurs, a Turkic ethnic group, has a high concentration of red-haired people. . That's approximately 140 million people. "I was walking through Edinburgh with 200 redheads behind me and I was mostly trying not to lead people into traffic. In Irish myth, the mystical races of the Tuatha de Danaan and the Sithe are both said to have ginger hair. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published. 26 May is World Redhead Day. If theyre Ashkenazi Jews, about 3.6% of the women have red hair, and 10% of Jewish men have red beards. Q: Do people with ginger hair colour feel pain more severely? Additional Redhead Sightings University of California Press. France also may have some redheads, which reportedly has the highest European Jew population as of 2019. Redheads can be very creative: painter Vincent Van Gogh, classical music composer Vivaldi and writer Mark Twain were all redheads. Names like Flannery, Reid and Russell can all trace their origin to red hair. The CRC relies upon publicly available data from multiple sources. Worryingly, the only thing we can find is a reference to Carleton S. Coon, an anthropologist who appears to have written his seminal work in, er, 1933.