Scotland has the highest percentage of redheads in the world, at 13% of the population. Redheads can sense changes in temperature more quickly than people with other hair colors. Transaction Publishers. The USA has the highest redhead population of any country in the world, boasting between 6 and 18 million redheaded citizens. Nothing to do with their mythical fiery temperament! Q. [105] The word "rufus" has been used in both Australian and British slang to refer to red-headed people;[106] based on a variant of rufous, a reddish-brown color. [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%. This country reportedly has up to 18 million redheads as of 2018. The USA has a National Redhead Day, celebrated on 5 November. [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. The highest concentration of redheads is in Scotland (13%), followed by Ireland (10%). All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. 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. 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. People with red hair colour produce vitamin D more efficiently in less sunlight, making their bones stronger and leaving women more likely to survive pregnancy and childbirth in primitive times. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content. 59. [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. 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. 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. [38][39] Emigration from Europe has increased the population of red haired humans in the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. [20] In Sardinia, red hair is found at a frequency of 0.24% of the population. But red hair tends to be thicker so it looks just as full. A lot of people think redheads have more adventurous and outgoing personalities than other hair colors. 40. So, while two redheads wont produce a brunette, two brunettes could produce a redhead. 17. 70. But don't worry 4. Read about our approach to external linking. [122], Since 2014, a red-hair event is held in Israel, at Kibbutz Gezer (Carrot), held for the local Israeli red hair community,[123] including both Ashkenazi and Mizrahi red-heads. In North America, more redheads most likely would exist in Canada versus Mexico. Find out the secrets ER staff wont tell you. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, 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. Preference for Ginger over Mary Ann using Google searches. 5. One study. Listen to our podcast. The pigment pheomelanin gives red hair its distinctive color. In fact, some used to dye their hair red on purpose. Each strand of red hair is generally thicker than other shades which compensates for the fact that redheads have less hair. Another fun fact about redheads, theyre more likely to be left-handed. [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. Only 1 to 2 percent of the world's population are redheads (those with two copies of a recessive gene on chromosome 16). 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. Best of all, it shows all of this using a colour scale of autumnal auburns and reds. [94] In 2007, a UK woman won an award from a tribunal after being sexually harassed and receiving abuse because of her red hair;[95] in the same year, a family in Newcastle upon Tyne, was forced to move twice after being targeted for abuse and hate crime on account of their red hair. A: According to research, red hair is statistically more common in women than in men. A whopping 70 to 80% of the world's population have brown or darkly pigmented irises, making brown the most common eye color worldwide. Russia seems to have a reputation of having large quantities of people with red hair. Find out with these true facts about redheads. 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. Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. Check out these facts about animals you have all wrong. Riverdale actress Madelaine Petsch is a proud natural ginger, as is House of Cards alum Kate Mara. Services % of total employment. Less than two percent of the world's population has naturally red hair. The genetics of red hair appear to be associated with the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R), which is found on chromosome 16. Not unlike Ireland, in light of the average number of redheads around the globe, these are also eye-popping numbers. Several studies show that redheads require about 20 percent more sedation than those with other hair colors. East Asians seem to have the most Neanderthal DNA in their genomes, followed by those of European ancestry. Asian redheads are occasionally found in Northern Kazakhstan, particularly among the Uyghur ethnic people. Lilith, said in some religions to be the first wife of Adam, is commonly shown with red hair. 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. A lively debate between bloggers on the Human Biodiversity Forum even conjured up an eye-colour map as well as US-specific hair colour trends. During the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe, hundreds of women with red hair were accused of witchcraft. . Because of their commonly fair skin and sensitivity to ultraviolet light, redheads are more likely to develop skin cancer. The three men were subsequently jailed for a combined total of ten years and one month for the attack. Uyghurs, a Turkic ethnic group, has a high concentration of red-haired people. Estimates suggest that the percentage of redheads in Scotland is roughly 6%. [85], A book of photographs of red haired people was published in 2020, Gingers by Kieran Dodds (2020). In species other than primates, red hair has different genetic origins and mechanisms. If you can't see the questions below, you can respond here. Approximately 2-6% of the US population is redheaded, giving the US the largest redhead population in the world at 6-18 million people. This article includes content provided by Google. ", "Pleiotropic effects of the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene on human pigmentation", "The genetics of sun sensitivity in humans", "Increased sensitivity to thermal pain and reduced subcutaneous lidocaine efficacy in redheads", "Do redheads really feel more pain? More than 1,600 people participated in this Redhead Day Festival that took place in Breda, a Netherlands city. 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. They may have emigrated from Europe though. Scotland is thought by some to have the highest concentration of redheads in the world, so maybe it was an appropriate location for the Ginger Pride march, led by Canadian comedian Shawn Hitchins. Agriculture % of total employment. [40] The ancient peoples Budini and Sarmatians are also reported by Greek author to be blue-eyed and red-haired, and the latter even owe their names to it. 32. 36. 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. 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. A:Roughly one to two percent of the worlds population are born with natural red hair - thats still a sizable number of about 140 million!There are more redheads in northern and western Europe than in any other region on earth, where an average of up to six percent of people have red or ginger hair. It occurs more frequently (2-6%) in people of northern or western European ancestry, and less frequently in other populations. Noooooo! Blue eye colour is a recessive trait, which means both parents must carry the gene for the child to be born with it. Overall, Northern European countries have a greater proportion of redheads than anywhere else in the world. Making up 10 percent of the population, Ireland has more redheads than anywhere else on the globe. Bees like redheads more than people with other hair colors. Red hair prevalence in England is about 4%. So, in certain places in the world at least, there's a big advantage to being in this minority. Woah! Local businesses with "redhead" or "redheaded" in name per 10,000 residents. Scotland is a close second, with a 6 percent redheaded population. It is most common in individuals homozygous for a recessive allele on chromosome 16 that produces an altered version of the MC1R protein. Facts and frequently asked questions about the worlds most unusual hair colour. [21] Writers from Shakespeare to Dickens would identify Jewish characters by giving them red hair, such as the villainous Jewish characters Shylock and Fagin. . According to Montague Summers, red hair and green eyes were thought to be the sign of a witch, a werewolf or a vampire during the Middle Ages: Those whose hair is red, of a certain peculiar shade, are unmistakably vampires. Reddish-brown (auburn) hair is also found amongst some Polynesians, and is especially common in some tribes and family groups. identified aleles on MC1R associated with red hair. "Also, I'm a ginger so I'm 10 times more likely to make up a statistic.". [80] Such beliefs were given a veneer of scientific credibility in the 19th century by Cesare Lombroso and Guglielmo Ferrero. In fact, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) state . In Ireland, the percentage of population with red hair is very high relative to the rest of the world at around 10%, with 46% carrying the gene. Q: Red hair is beautiful, but are there any disadvantages to being a redhead? Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. [89], In his 1885 book I Say No, Wilkie Collins wrote "The prejudice against habitual silence, among the lower order of the people, is almost as inveterate as the prejudice against red hair. 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. Another belief is that redheads are highly sexed; for example, Jonathan Swift satirizes redhead stereotypes in part four of Gulliver's Travels, "A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnhnms," when he writes that: "It is observed that the red-haired of both sexes are more libidinous and mischievous than the rest, whom yet they much exceed in strength and activity." In 1995, Valverde, et al. In Africa, for example, red hair is selected against because high levels of sun harm pale skin. Ireland boasts the highest national average of redheads with 10 percent, while Scotland comes a closesecond with six percent. Sunshine can both be good and bad for a person's health and the different alleles on MC1R represent these adaptations. 20. It appears, for instance, in Singaporean newspapers such as The Straits Times,[116] and in television programmes and films. (If you have freckles, youre probably a carrier). England also has a significant number of people in it with red hair: 4% of its total inhabitants. ", In his 1895 memoir and history The Gurneys of Earlham, Augustus John Cuthbert Hare described an incident of harassment: In fact, they only make . About 30% of people who dye their hair at home choose to go red. Several accounts by Greek writers mention redheaded people. Given that red hair doesn't adapt to warm climes, the gene could - at some point - become extinct. 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." Western Europe has more red haired people than any other part of the world. In Anne of Green Gables, a character says of Anne Shirley, the redheaded heroine, that "her temper matches her hair", while in The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield remarks that "People with red hair are supposed to get mad very easily, but Allie [his dead brother] never did, and he had very red hair.". In the Chinese historical document Kang mu, the Kipchak people are described as red haired and blue eyed.[35][36]. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. 43. Harry: I always felt different to rest of family, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Mbappe breaks PSG goal record in win over Nantes, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61. [115] Despite this ambiguity, it is a widely used term. From how much sex redheads have to how they produce their own Vitamin D. A: No, never - ginger hair simply fades to a rose gold, then into a soft white as you age. 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. Industry % of GDP. Most red hair is caused by the MC1R gene and is non-pathological. But can it really be true that Scotland is home to almost a fifth of the world's redheads? Some pagans even dye their hair red on purpose using henna. Early artistic representations of Mary Magdalene usually depict her as having long flowing red hair, although a description of her hair color was never mentioned in the Bible, and it is possible the color is an effect caused by pigment degradation in the ancient paint. The MC1R gene is also responsible for freckles in many redheads. The genetics of red hair mean for a child to be a redhead, both their parents must have the mutated MC1R gene. The pejorative use of the word "ginger" and related discrimination was used to illustrate a point about racism and prejudice in the "Ginger Kids", "Le Petit Tourette", "It's a Jersey Thing" and "Fatbeard" episodes of South Park. Film and television programmes often portray school bullies as having red hair. 28. (starring redhead Leigh Francis) featured a spoof documentary which involved a caricature of Mick Hucknall presenting a show in which celebrities (played by themselves) dyed their hair red for a day and went about daily life being insulted by people. Recessive traits often happen in pairs so commonly people with the gene for red hair also possess the trait for left-handedness. What Percentage of the World's Population Has Brown Hair? Some people say redheads bruise easily, but this may just be down to redheads' pale skin showing bruises more clearly. People without red hair have about 140,000 strands of hair, while people with red hair have only 90,000. To explain this, you have to go back tens of thousands of years, says Rees. As an Amazon Associate, Kidadl earns from qualifying purchases. As previously mentioned, ginger hair occurs naturally in an average of just two percent of the worlds population, while only 17 percent of humans have blue eyes. [86], Red hair was thought to be a mark of a beastly sexual desire and moral degeneration. [15], Red hair is also found amongst the Ashkenazi Jewish populations. 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. Are the Shrine Drop It toners worth the hype? The sketch saw fictional character Sandra Kemp, who was forced to seek solace in a refuge for ginger people because she had been ostracised from society. 62. [61], Red hair and its relationship to UV sensitivity are of interest to many melanoma researchers. Kenny, E, et al., "Melanesian Blond Hair Is Caused by an Amino Acid Change in TYRP1", Rees JL (2002a) Molecular phototypes. Among the countries with the highest percentage of redheads, Great Britain has long been recognized as a place with its share of redheads. creative tips and more. .Each strand of red hair is thicker than strands of other colours, so although redheads have fewer strands, they still have plenty of hair. 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. Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! The ginger one is quite similar to the version above so you would assume that they're based on a similar set of numbers, though the numbers themselves are harder to find. [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]. 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. [57], A 2007 report in The Courier-Mail, which cited the National Geographic magazine and unnamed "geneticists", said that red hair is likely to die out in the near future. [109] Alexander responded to the insult by stating that he was "proud to be ginger". [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. [133][134] His son Neoptolemus also bears the name Pyrrhus, a possible reference to his own red hair. Even today, people still think redheads have supernatural powers. The gene that controls hair color also controls production of melanin, the skin pigment that makes people tan. [129][130], In the Iliad, Achilles' hair is described as ksanths ([131]), usually translated as blonde, or golden[132] but sometimes as red or tawny. Cardi's unrecognisable with XXL blonde disco curls, 13 amazing facts about redheads that everyone needs to know, Cosmopolitan, Part of the Hearst UK Fashion & Beauty Network. Some people say that redheads' freckles are the marks left by kisses from angels. That's approximately 140 million people. Fun and lighthearted red hair facts to keep you entertained. "It's fair to say we don't have very detailed information about what the frequency of people with red hair is throughout the world," says Rees. 44. [21] In European culture, before the 20th century, red hair was often seen as a stereotypically Jewish trait: during the Spanish Inquisition, all those with red hair were identified as Jewish.[22]. [fn 1][9], Byzantine writers, Jordanes and Procopius described the early Slavic peoples as having ruddy hair and skin tone. Find out how with these interesting facts about redheads through history. In their attempt to understand how pheomelanin, the pigment that makes hair red, affects gingers health, scientists have examined similarly auburn-tinted feathers and fur. [124] However, the number of attendees has to be restricted due to the risk of rocket attacks, leading to anger in the red-hair community. 26 May is World Redhead Day. 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. This makes the odds of having both unusual features highly unlikely - in fact, it is the rarest physical combination in the world! Red hair is as a result of a genetic variant that causes the cell to produce pheomelanin. 23. 68. 26. In modern times, red hair is subject to fashion trends; celebrities such as Nicole Kidman, Alyson Hannigan, Marcia Cross, Christina Hendricks, Emma Stone and Geri Halliwell can boost sales of red hair dye. In 2000, almost 90 percent of all breeding redheads were surveyed in the Prairie Pothole Region of the north central U.S. and Canada. Less than 2% of the world's population has red hair. Some estimates have cited the population of redheads in Scotland to account for nearly 13% of the country's population total. Q: Who are the most famous redhead celebrities? [96] In May 2009, a schoolboy committed suicide after being bullied for having red hair. This is what happens when you let comedians be spokespeople," says Hitchins. Cosmopolitan participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Russia just might be named after a redhead: the name is thought to come from a Viking called Rurik, meaning 'red'. [2], Cultural reactions to red hair have been varied. 70 to 80% of the world's population have brown eyes. A: The straightforward answer is no, redheads are not becoming extinct. [110] Harman was subsequently forced to apologise for the comment, after facing criticism for prejudice against a minority group. Romans thought red headed people were wild and warlike, especially the Celts. Specifically, redheads have a mutated melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene that produces an altered receptor for MSH. [126], A festival to celebrate the red-haired people is held annually in Izhevsk (Russia), the capital of Udmurtia, since 2004. A: According to the most recent global listing from Ranker, US actress Emma Stone is the hottest redhead in the world. 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. An article from National Geographic reports that while the overall number of redheads in the world may decline due to generational skips in the required recessive gene, the potential for red hair remains unchanged. 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. 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. 7. 2. 68. 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. 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. 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. A: Yes, red hair is a genetic mutation (albeit a stunning one!) Romans valued slaves with ginger hair more highly. This country reportedly has up to 18 million redheads as of 2018. This is because according to research redheads are more sensitive to hot and cold pain. According to some studies, about 3.6% of the Jewish women have red hair while 10% of the Jewish men have red beards. 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. 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. Redheads on average need about 20% more anaesthetic when they go into the hospital for surgery. It turns out it was a mistake. [47] The gene HCL2 on chromosome 4 may also be related to red hair. Bizarrely, redheads require greater amounts of anaesthetic during surgical procedures. [100]) Comedian Tim Minchin, himself a redhead, also covered the topic in his song "Prejudice".[101]. [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. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. She never anticipated that he would end up becoming Africas king. Held in Highwood, Illinois, Redhead Days draws participants from across the United States. In ancient Gaul, the Merovingians thought redheads had special supernatural powers and abilities. National Redhead Day was created in 2015 by Stephanie and Adrienne Vendetti, two red-headed sisters who wanted to celebrate their beautiful hair.
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