Most probably in an interactive map. [72][73] One study, however, reports a link between red hair and a higher rate of bruising.[73]. 60. The percentage typically ranges from approximately 2%-6%, and it apparently has the largest ginger population in the world. As they can't sufficiently absorb Vitamin D (it's down to their lower melanin-concentration), redheads internally produce their own Vitamin D when they're exposed to low light conditions. Do you know this baby? The Chinese characters for ang mo are the same as those in the historical Japanese term Km (), which was used during the Edo period (16031868) as an epithet for Dutch or Northern European people. GDP (PPP) per person employed by sector, 2015: [10] Country Name. The 1943 film DuBarry Was a Lady featured red-heads Lucille Ball and Red Skelton in Technicolor. It is often said that between 1% and 2%, or 70 to 140 million people around the world, have red hair. Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Red hair is caused by mutation in a gene called MC1R, which controls hair color. 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"). creative tips and more. In November 2008 social networking website Facebook received criticism after a 'Kick a Ginger' group, which aimed to establish a "National Kick a Ginger Day" on 20 November, acquired almost 5,000 members. [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]. [65][66][67], Researchers have found that people with red hair require greater amounts of anesthetic. By contrast, less than 1 in every 100 people in southern Europe. Nothing to do with their mythical fiery temperament! And where can you find the highest concentration of blondes? 12. If you're a redhead with blue eyes, you're a unicorn. 69. Services % of GDP. Less than two percent of the world's population has naturally red hair. Additional Redhead Sightings A study showed women with red hair had a greater analgesic response to that particular pain medication than men. It primarily referred to Dutch traders who were the only Europeans allowed to trade with Japan during Sakoku, its 200-year period of isolation.[117]. 44. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Redhead is a person with red or reddish-tinted hair. Scotland boasts the highest percentage of natural redheads, with 13% (40% might carry the gene there) while Ireland comes in second with 10%. Redheads are often said to have a hot temper because red is associated with fire and danger. But can it really be true that Scotland is home to almost a fifth of the world's redheads? Both of these characteristics come from recessive genes, which typically come in pairs. [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". One of the few other places on earth that can remotely rival the population of redheads in Ireland is Scotland. This may reflect the presence of a single copy of the MC1R gene, leading to differential expression in the beard versus the scalp hair. In Africa, red hair has been noticed on the Berber of Algeria and Morocco. This also explains why we so often assume that people with red hair must be of some Irish or Scottish origin. 68. 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. 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. [125] The organizers state; "The event is a good thing for many redheads, who had been embarrassed about being redheads before. 46. Kenny, E, et al., "Melanesian Blond Hair Is Caused by an Amino Acid Change in TYRP1", Rees JL (2002a) Molecular phototypes. 66. The genetics of red hair mean for a child to be a redhead, both their parents must have the mutated MC1R gene. "I was walking through Edinburgh with 200 redheads behind me and I was mostly trying not to lead people into traffic. It's quite nice right? [110] Harman was subsequently forced to apologise for the comment, after facing criticism for prejudice against a minority group. It might be our eye color or our star sign, or maybe it's the hobbies we choose or the way we spend our downtime. Among the various hair colors of the world, black and brown are the most mainstream, blonde is less common but still widespread, and red is the rarest of all. 65. A: According to research, red hair is statistically more common in women than in men. Shame the fellas weren't questioned, too. In Asia, red hair can be found among some peoples of Afghan,[27][28] Arab, Iranian, East Indians, Mongolian, Turkic, Miao, and Hmong descent. If that was the case in Scotland, that would suggest that the country with its population of 5.3 million was home to just over half a million redheads - less than 1% of the global total. For other uses, see, Medical implications of the red hair gene, Prejudice and discrimination against redheads. [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. The Ancient Greeks also thought Helen of Troy and the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite, had natural ginger hair. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Approximately 1 to 2% of the world's population has red hair. Noooooo! Not unlike Ireland, in light of the average number of redheads around the globe, these are also eye-popping numbers. 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. However, in rare cases red hair can be associated with disease or genetic disorder: There have also been rare reports of scalp or beard hair spontaneously turning partially red, with no identified pathological cause.[76]. The results? Scotland is a close second, with a 6 percent redheaded population. 50. When you buy through the links on our site we may earn a commission. The results? Do blue eyes and red hair really go together? Being pale, redheads are more efficient at making vitamin D and do not need so much sunlight in order to get the amount they need, he says. National Redhead Day was created in 2015 by Stephanie and Adrienne Vendetti, two red-headed sisters who wanted to celebrate their beautiful hair. 11. For a child to be born a redhead, both parents must be genetic carriers ofthe MC1R gene. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! It is held by some authorities that this was done to fertilize the fields and produce a bounteous harvest, red-hair symbolizing the golden wealth of the corn. As science journalist Maggie Koerth-Baker writes, "Actually, redheads are stealthily infiltrating the rest of humanity." Here's her proof: Even though only 2 percent of people have red hair, 4. 28. 53. However, reddish-brown hair is common among Syrians, Lebanese, Jordan, and Palestinians. However, a HowStuffWorks article says that the foundation was funded by hair-dye maker Procter & Gamble, and that other experts had dismissed the research as either lacking in evidence or simply bogus. People of any ethnicity can have red hair. According to estimates, 70-79% of the world's population have brown eyes, making it the most common eye color worldwide. [4], Ireland has the highest number of red-haired people per capita in the world with the percentage of those with red hair at around 10%. 56. And in most of Africa it is exceedingly rare to see somebody with 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. Their hair naturally keeps its pigment longer than most colors, before eventually fading to white. But red hair tends to be thicker so it looks just as full. While the numbers and percentages don't quite put Great Britain in the realm of Ireland and Scotland, it remains one of the more highly populated countries regarding its number of redheads. In Russia, ginger hair is believed to be a sign of having a hot temper and being a bit of a wild child. 37. [2], Cultural reactions to red hair have been varied. [58] Other blogs and news sources ran similar stories that attributed the research to the magazine or the "Oxford Hair Foundation". Fun fact: Both Kidman and Graham are part of the worlds tiny community of people who have both redhair and blue eyes! blonde is less common but still widespread. [109] Alexander responded to the insult by stating that he was "proud to be ginger". Lalla Salma, Morocco's Queen, names one famous person from this region who has red hair, by the way. Research has found that it is most likely because of their hairs resemblance to bright flowers. 54. [33] A phenotype study of Hmong People show they are sometimes born with red hair. 3. That's approximately 140 million people. Red hair has far more of the pigment pheomelanin than it has of the dark pigment eumelanin. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. [120] It attracts participants from over 80 countries. 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. Much like their Irish counterparts, this part of the world is recognized as the most prominent area on the planet for redheads. This country reportedly has up to 18 million redheads as of 2018. 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. [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. Afghanistan. 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. England also has a significant number of people in it with red hair: 4% of its total inhabitants. [100]) Comedian Tim Minchin, himself a redhead, also covered the topic in his song "Prejudice".[101]. Black and dark brown hair run to 85 percent (85%) of the whole, while reds number 4 percent (4%)", "There are, however, a noticeable number of Kabyles with red hair, blue eyes and, Helfen-Maenchen, Otto, The World of the Huns: Studies of Their History and Culture, pp.373. France also may have some redheads, which reportedly has the highest European Jew population as of 2019. Preference for Ginger over Mary Ann using Google searches. 25. Here is a look at the percentage of redheads by country, and where this particular hair color is comparably more prevalent. In Africa, most people with red hair live in Morocco and Algeria. 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. "It's a great opportunity to bring together all the redheads in the country that holds 19% of the world's population of redheads," he told BBC Radio. Making up 10 percent of the population, Ireland has more redheads than anywhere else on the globe. Apparently they have on average 90,000 strands while blondes have 110,000, and brunettes have 140,000. Your privacy is important to us. Red hair is. According to some studies, about 3.6% of the Jewish women have red hair while 10% of the Jewish men have red beards. [59], Red hair is caused by a relatively rare recessive allele, the expression of which can skip generations. None of them are proven: these ones are just for fun. Western Europe has more red haired people than any other part of the world. 59. Supernatural redhead facts from myth and legend to astonish and intrigue you. University of California Press. 58. Q: Red hair is beautiful, but are there any disadvantages to being a redhead? [61], Red hair and its relationship to UV sensitivity are of interest to many melanoma researchers. [96] In May 2009, a schoolboy committed suicide after being bullied for having red hair. Blue eyes are similarly uncommon, and they may be becoming rarer. [55][56], A DNA study has concluded that some Neanderthals also had red hair, although the mutation responsible for this differs from that which causes red hair in modern humans. October 19, 2021. [30] In Chinese sources, ancient Kyrgyz people were described as fair-skinned, green- or blue-eyed and red-haired people with a mixture of European and East Asian features. What Percentage of the World's Population Has Brown Hair? The problem with TikToks Bold Glamour filter, Who has Dua Lipa dated? In: Vogelstein B, Kinzler K (eds) The genetic basis of human cancer, 2nd ed. Given that red hair doesn't adapt to warm climes, the gene could - at some point - become extinct. 30. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. Melanocyte-stimulating hormone normally stimulates melanocytes to make black eumelanin, but if the melanocytes have a mutated receptor, they will make reddish pheomelanin instead. [46], The alleles Arg151Cys, Arg160Trp, Asp294His, and Arg142His on MC1R are shown to be recessives for the red hair phenotype. The Telegraphreport that red hair is also common among certain communities in Russia, as well as among Ashkenazi Jews. Overall, Northern European countries have a greater proportion of redheads than anywhere else in the world. R (eds) Mechanisms of suntanning. 52. [21] Writers from Shakespeare to Dickens would identify Jewish characters by giving them red hair, such as the villainous Jewish characters Shylock and Fagin. 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. [59], Melanin in the skin aids UV tolerance through sun tanning, but fair-skinned persons lack the levels of melanin needed to prevent UV-induced DNA-damage. Bizarrely, redheads require greater amounts of anaesthetic during surgical procedures. Russia just might be named after a redhead: the name is thought to come from a Viking called Rurik, meaning 'red'. [126], A festival to celebrate the red-haired people is held annually in Izhevsk (Russia), the capital of Udmurtia, since 2004. However, in Northern Europe this does not happen, so redheads can become more common through genetic drift. By Nathaniel Scharping Apr 28, 2020 8:00 AM. Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon and Syria have a higher percentage of redheads than the rest of Asia. The gene that controls hair color also controls production of melanin, the skin pigment that makes people tan. These "facts" about red hair are more like myths. It turns out it was a mistake. [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. We will now officially know which country has the highest percentage of redheads, thanks to the Redhead Map, a project from MC1R Magazine which aims to pinpoint every single redhead in the world. Ginger hair can be found south of Europe, particularly in the Berber population of Morocco. This map shows the stark gap between vaccination programs . Some people say redheads bruise easily, but this may just be down to redheads' pale skin showing bruises more clearly. At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. The takeaway Due to genetic complexities, there's not a clear-cut way to determine. Irish leprechauns are usually pictured with red hair as well as their classic green suit. Click on the name of the country or dependency for current estimates (live population clock), historical data, and projected figures. Red hair in this region, however, remains rare as opposed to people with dark hair. A: Although red hair colour is associated with freckles, not all people with ginger hair have them. In Britain, redheads are also sometimes referred to disparagingly as "carrot tops" and "carrot heads". Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Scotland boasts the highest percentage of natural redheads, with 13% (40% might carry the gene. Approximately 6% of the Scottish population has red hair while about 10% of the Irish population has red hair, making it the most red-haired country in the world. The USA has the highest redhead population of any country in the world, boasting between 6 and 18 million redheaded citizens. From how much sex redheads have to how they produce their own Vitamin D. "Gingerism" has been compared to racism, although this is widely disputed, and bodies such as the UK Commission for Racial Equality do not monitor cases of discrimination and hate crimes against redheads.[93]. Over half of all children in the world - 1 billion children ages 2-17 years - experience violence every year. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. People with ginger hair have a greater chance of being left-handed. which relates to an imbalance of melanin in the bodys skin and hair cells. It's also known as Love Your Red Hair Day. But let's get back to the exciting map - maps in fact - we could pull together a whole gallery of them. Most red hair is caused by the MC1R gene and is non-pathological. According to Ginger Parrot, if you have freckles, technically you do tan just in tiny, specific areas! (Credit: IR Stone/Shutterstock) We all have a little Neanderthal in us. [34], The Kipchak people were a Turkic ethnic group from central Asia who served in the Golden Horde military forces after being conquered by the Mongols. 61. If you liked our suggestions for incredible facts about redheads, then why not take a look at Love facts, or Capricorn facts. 47. Although it is without argument that the two most highly redhead populated countries are Ireland and Scotland, there is some conflicting data to the numbers. Early Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli's famous painting The Birth of Venus depicts the mythological goddess Venus as a redhead. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents. 24. 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. Any information you provide to us via this website may be placed by us on servers located in countries outside the EU if you do not agree to such placement, do not provide the information. 68. Scientists think the bright color reminds them of flowers. [17] Other studies have found that 3.69% of Jewish women overall were found to have red hair, but around 10.9% of all Jewish men have red beards. MC1R also occurs in the brain, where it is one of a large set of POMC-related receptors that are apparently involved not only in responding to MSH, but also in responses to endorphins and possibly other POMC-derived hormones. According to the Washington Post, as our ancestors migrated from this region to the colder, darker climate of northern Europe, redheads had a survival related advantage over their darker skinned, darker haired counterparts. Even ginger ones" after customers complained the card was offensive. 29. We recommend our users to update the browser. The Irish Redhead Convention, held in late August in County Cork since 2011, claims to be a global celebration and attracts people from several continents. It shows that in most of Scotland and Ireland, as well as a random patch in central Russia, 10% of people are of the ginger genre. The second table lists countries by the percentage of the population . Some people say that redheads' freckles are the marks left by kisses from angels. In medieval times, a writer suggested that redheads' blood was an essential ingredient in a paint called Spanish Gold. "But most of the people on this planet don't live in Europe and if you just think about Asia, it's very, very rare to see somebody with red hair. Woah! If your hair is red, your MC1R gene will have . Characterized by high levels of the reddish pigment pheomelanin and relatively low levels of the dark pigment eumelanin, it is associated with fair skin color, lighter eye color, freckles, and sensitivity to ultraviolet light. Transaction Publishers. Best of all, it shows all of this using a colour scale of autumnal auburns and reds. A: The combination of having both red hair colour and blue eyes is extremely rare. 35. Even today, people still think redheads have supernatural powers. Another redhead origin story says redheads are descended from Vulcan, the Greek god of the forge. There is a common belief that redheads are smarter than people with other hair colors. Highest amount of redhead representation in Congress per constituents. 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. Interestingly, King Arthur, Queen Elizabeth I and Winston Churchill all had red hair. The epithet is sometimes rendered as ang mo kui () meaning "red-haired devil", similar to the Cantonese term gweilo ("foreign devil"). Red hair can originate from several changes on the MC1R-gene. Thats at least true amongst the Udmurt people, who reside in the Volga Region. (Hucknall, who says that he has repeatedly faced prejudice or been described as ugly on account of his hair colour, argues that Gingerism should be described as a form of racism. [31] In the Book of Wei, Chinese author Wei Shou notes that Liu Yuan was over 6 feet tall and had red strands of hair in his long beard. There has been an annual Redhead Day festival in the Netherlands that attracts red-haired participants from around the world. Martin Dunitz, London, pp 333339, Rees JL (2002b) Skin cancer (including nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome). Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! 36. In 1995, Valverde, et al. Some Ashkenazi Jews also have red hair. Mummies with red hair have been found as far afield as Peru and Egypt. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published. The Berber populations of Morocco[23] and northern Algeria have occasional redheads. Industry % of GDP. "Redhead" redirects here. We have no idea what data these maps are based on (if you know, or if you have any more reliable sources, please tell us about them in the comments below). . Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, creative tips and more. In North America, more redheads most likely would exist in Canada versus Mexico. The most common surname in Italy, Rossi, means redhead. Agriculture % of GDP. In various times and cultures, red hair has been prized, feared, and ridiculed. Q. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes story "The Red-Headed League" (1891) involves a man who is asked to become a member of a mysterious group of red-headed people. Superstar actress Nicole Kidman is perhaps Australias best known redhead, while British model Alexina Graham became the first ever ginger beauty to walk the Victorias Secret Fashion Show in 2018. [79] In the Indian medicinal practice of Ayurveda, redheads are seen as most likely to have a Pitta temperament. We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. Although the Jewish people have been displaced over the years, it is still guesstimated that around 10% of Jewish men have red hair or beards. Ireland boasts the highest national average of redheads with 10 percent, while Scotland comes a closesecond with six percent. So if we can now confidently say that a fifth of the world's redheads do not live in Scotland, do we know what proportion actually do? Because it holds its pigment tighter than any other hair colour, red strands need to have their pigment stripped before being dyed by bleaching which, of course, damages the hair. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong. In purely numerical terms, it is highly likely that the US has the highest number of people with red hair, because of the size of its population. In the Netherlands, there's a two- day summer festival in early September devoted to celebrating reed hair. A lot of people think redheads have more adventurous and outgoing personalities than other hair colors. [16] In 1903, 5.6% of Polish Jews had red hair. How Many People in the World Have Black Hair. Industry % of total employment. Celtic warrior queen Boudicca had a red hair. Among the countries with the highest percentage of redheads, Great Britain has long been recognized as a place with its share of redheads. He grew up, however, a remarkably attractive-looking young man. "[125], The first and only festival for red heads in the United States was launched in 2015. It is often said that between 1% and 2%, or 70 to 140 million people around the world, have red hair. A scientist told ScotlandNow: "I think the regressive gene is slowly dying out Climate change could see a decline in the number of people with red hair in Scotland." But don't worry 4. 2023 BBC. 529548. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, Redheads on average need about 20% more anaesthetic when they go into the hospital for surgery. Mark Twain once said that while most humans are descended from apes, people with red hair come from cats. The Ancient Egyptian god of the desert, Set, was frequently depicted with red hair. Some people think that because red hair is carried by a recessive gene, redheads might be going extinct. Q: What are the odds of having red hair and blue eyes? 51. 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. 62. 13. About 200 people took part in the UK's first Ginger Pride march in August, and the world record for the largest gathering of natural redheads was broken last month when 1,600 attended the Redhead Day Festival in the Dutch town of Breda. Alia from Berlin.