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Red hair is most commonly found at both the west and eastern fringes of modern Europe. Although red hair in the human population is most commonly associated with those of the [[British Isles]] (more specifically the Scots and Irish), dark red or reddish-tinged hair can be found in a few other [[Caucasian race|Caucasian]] populations. The [[Galatian]] invasion of 275 BC has resulted in a smattering of red hair in the population of modern-day [[Turkey]], as well as some in [[Iranian_peoples|Iran]]. The [[Berber]] and [[Kabylie]] populations of northern [[Algeria]] have occasional red heads. The Classical Greek historian, [[Herodotus]] described his [['Budini']] (probably [[Votyak]] and [[Permyak]] [[Finns]]) as being predominantly red-headed. Red hair also occurs amongst people of [[African]] descent; famous [[African-American]] redheads include [[Redd Foxx]] and [[Malcolm X]].
Red hair is most commonly found at both the west and eastern fringes of modern Europe. Although red hair in the human population is most commonly associated with those of the [[British Isles]] (more specifically the Scots and Irish), dark red or reddish-tinged hair can be found in a few other [[Caucasian race|Caucasian]] populations. The [[Galatian]] invasion of 275 BC has resulted in a smattering of red hair in the population of modern-day [[Turkey]], as well as some in [[Iranian_peoples|Iran]]. The [[Berber]] and [[Kabylie]] populations of northern [[Algeria]] have occasional red heads. The Classical Greek historian, [[Herodotus]] described his [['Budini']] (probably [[Votyak]] and [[Permyak]] [[Finns]]) as being predominantly red-headed. Red hair also occurs amongst people of [[African]] descent; famous [[African-American]] redheads include [[Redd Foxx]] and [[Malcolm X]].


Red hair is also sometimes found in other areas far from the fringes of Europe, such as Japan<ref Name=Yamamoto>Yamamoto M., and Neel J.V. "A note on red hair on the Island of Hirado, Japan". ''Jinrui Idengaku Zasshi''. March 1967. 11 (4), pages 257-62.</ref>.
Red hair is also sometimes found in other areas far from the fringes of Europe, such as [[Japan]]<ref Name=Yamamoto>Yamamoto M., and Neel J.V. "A note on red hair on the Island of Hirado, Japan". ''Jinrui Idengaku Zasshi''. March 1967. 11 (4), pages 257-62.</ref>, the [[Middle East]] and even areas such as [[Punjab]].


[[Boudica]], the famous British queen of the [[Iceni]], was said by the Greek historian [[Dio Cassius]] to: ''"be tall and terrifying in appearance ... a great mass of red hair fell over her shoulders"''. The Roman [[Tacitus]] commented on the "red hair and large limbs of the inhabitants of Caledonia [Scotland]" (''The Life of Agricola'', Ch.11), which he linked with some red haired German/Belgic [[Gaul|Gaulish]] tribes.
[[Boudica]], the famous British queen of the [[Iceni]], was said by the Greek historian [[Dio Cassius]] to: ''"be tall and terrifying in appearance ... a great mass of red hair fell over her shoulders"''. The Roman [[Tacitus]] commented on the "red hair and large limbs of the inhabitants of Caledonia [Scotland]" (''The Life of Agricola'', Ch.11), which he linked with some red haired German/Belgic [[Gaul|Gaulish]] tribes.

Revision as of 11:00, 20 February 2006

Red hair (also referred to as "auburn", "ginger" or "titian") is a hair color that varies from a deep red through to bright copper.

File:Doug Barber Lass2j.jpg
Red hair is more common in the British Isles.

Historical distribution

Red hair is most commonly found at both the west and eastern fringes of modern Europe. Although red hair in the human population is most commonly associated with those of the British Isles (more specifically the Scots and Irish), dark red or reddish-tinged hair can be found in a few other Caucasian populations. The Galatian invasion of 275 BC has resulted in a smattering of red hair in the population of modern-day Turkey, as well as some in Iran. The Berber and Kabylie populations of northern Algeria have occasional red heads. The Classical Greek historian, Herodotus described his 'Budini' (probably Votyak and Permyak Finns) as being predominantly red-headed. Red hair also occurs amongst people of African descent; famous African-American redheads include Redd Foxx and Malcolm X.

Red hair is also sometimes found in other areas far from the fringes of Europe, such as Japan[1], the Middle East and even areas such as Punjab.

Boudica, the famous British queen of the Iceni, was said by the Greek historian Dio Cassius to: "be tall and terrifying in appearance ... a great mass of red hair fell over her shoulders". The Roman Tacitus commented on the "red hair and large limbs of the inhabitants of Caledonia [Scotland]" (The Life of Agricola, Ch.11), which he linked with some red haired German/Belgic Gaulish tribes.

Scotland has the highest proportion of red-heads of any country worldwide with 13% of the population having naturally red hair. A further 40% of Scots carry the MC1R variant gene which results in red hair. The Picts, "tribes that Mediterranean classical-era writers placed in Caledonia (Scotland)" [1], were recorded as red haired. Ireland has the second highest population of naturally red-headed people in the world, amounting to 10% of its inhabitants, though it is a misconception that the Celts were red headed. [2] Viking invaders, who later founded Dublin [3], were known for having red hair. [4]

Highland cattle are also notably ginger. Until the 19th century, black and brown forms of Highland cattle were more prevalent; however, Queen Victoria's love of the Highlands influenced her decree that Highland cattle be selectively bred for a toffee colored-coat. Highland cattle have been orange ever since.

It is estimated that between 2% - 3% of the United States population have red hair.

Biochemistry and genetics of red hair

MP Robin Cook was one of many red-headed Scots.

The biochemistry of red hair, discovered only in 1997, appears to be associated with the melanocortin-1 receptor while the red color itself is produced by an iron compound. The MC1R recessive gene which gives people red hair, fair skin and light eyes is also associated with freckles, though it is not uncommon to see a redhead without freckles. 80% of redheads have a MC1R gene variant [5], and the prevalence of these alleles is highest in Scotland and Ireland. MC1R is found on chromosome 16.

The genetics of red hair is now being uncovered, together with connections between red hair and melanoma, skin disorders in general, and different reactions to anaesthesia. There is evidence for genetic linkage of eye color with other hair colors such as brown hair, but MC1R is not linked to eye color. The inheritence of red hair is close to what geneticists describe as an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. This means that the parents of red-haired children may carry the gene for red hair but not have red hair themselves. It is this aspect of the inheritance of red hair that tends to lead to the various permutations of the milkman joke.

There is also evidence that red hair may be an example of incomplete dominance. This is similar to a simply recessive trait, but rather than not expressing at all when only one copy of the red hair allele is present, red hair blends with the other hair color, resulting in the very different types of red hair including strawberry blond (red-blonde) and auburn (red-brown).

Redheads are more susceptible to thermal pain. In people with red hair, the cells that produce skin and hair pigment have a dysfunctional melanocortin 1 receptor. Edwin Liem (researcher at the Outcomes Research Institute of the University of Louisville, US) says this dysfunction triggers the release of more of the hormone that stimulates these cells, but this hormone also stimulates a brain receptor related to pain sensitivity. Researchers have found that redheads require greater amounts of anesthesia, but other research shows that women with naturally red hair require less of the painkiller pentazocine than do either women of other hair colors or men of any hair color.

Kwashiorkor condition

In cases of severe malnutrition, normally dark human hair may turn red or blond. The condition, known as kwashiorkor, is a sign of critical starvation caused chiefly by protein deficiency, and is common during periods of famine.

File:S4PSAH.jpg
Actress Alyson Hannigan is well-known for her distinctive red hair.

Queen Elizabeth I of England was a redhead, and during the Elizabethan era in England, red hair was fashionable. This was also the case during the rule of redhead Oliver Cromwell. In some circles, however, redheads are subject to ribbing and ridicule. For example, the pejorative term "ginger minger" is sometimes used to describe red headed people as they are seen by some to be unattractive. When used in this derogatory way, "ginger" is sometimes pronounced /'gɪ.ŋə/ (as opposed to 'dʒɪn.dʒə). The derogatory use of the word "ginger" is almost completely limited to Ireland, the United Kingdom and Australia and is generally unknown in North America.

This "gingerphobia" has been satirised on a number of occasions. The British comedian Catherine Tate appeared in a running sketch in an episode of The Catherine Tate Show in which she was forced to seek solace in a refuge for ginger people; the pejorative use of the word "ginger", and related discrimination, was used to illustrate a point about racism and prejudice in the "Ginger Kids" episode of South Park; and the British comedy Bo' Selecta! featured a spoof-documentary which involved a caricature of red-haired Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall presenting a show in which celebrities (played by themselves) dyed their hair ginger for a day and went about daily life being insulted by people.

During a Martha Stewart show, Redheads were the main topic. Martha had the whole audience being Redheads. The Redhead show explained the details of redheads from facts, myths and famous Reds, to more. The show also included a guest appearence of Conan O'Brien, of which she starred on his show a bit earlier.

The term "red-headed step-child" is common in both North America and the United Kingdom. This term brings up a number of unfavorable factors for the poor child - a child who is from a different birthright, and whose uncommon appearence makes it quite obvious. The myth that red-heads are commonly more temperamental, combined with the notion that step-children are more unruly for a number of reasons, culminated with the phrase "I'll beat you like a red-headed step-child". One can be treated like a red-headed step-child, or be said to act like one.

On the other hand, there are some individuals who describe themselves as redophiles. They have a strong love for, and usually are sexually attracted to, redheads. As in any paraphilia, there are varying degrees to which a self-described redophile holds their desire. While some people favor red hair solely for its exotic aesthetic allure, others are more passionate, and insist on lavishing their attention only on natural redheads because they believe that they possess certain desired physical characteristics such as freckles, or pale skin that never tans. It is often the case that ginger hair darkens or lightens considerably as people get older, becoming brown or blonde, and this phenomenon leads some to associate red hair with youthfulness, a quality that is generally considered to be a desirable characteristic, particularly among women.

In addition to these physical traits, redheads are also often characterised as being more passionate, feisty or adventurous than non-redheads. This also extends to the stereotype that redheads have particularly "fiery" tempers, and are more easily angered than others. Jonathan Swift satirizes this stereotype in part four of Gulliver's Travels, "A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnhnms", when he writes: "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." Swift goes on to write that: "... neither was the hair of this brute [a Yahoo] of a red color (which might have been some excuse for an appetite a little irregular) but black as a sloe".

Many painters have exhibited a fascination with red hair. The colour "titian" takes its name from Titian, who often painted women with red hair. [6] Other painters notable for their redheads include the Pre-Raphaelites [7], Edmund Leighton, Modigliani [8] and Gustav Klimt [9].

Famous redheads include D.H. Lawrence, Woody Allen, Julianne Moore and Ron Howard.

See also: List of famous redheads
File:Redheadedbella.jpg
A woman with dyed red hair
  • The Biblical mark of Cain is thought by some to have been red hair. Esau's entire body is supposed to have been covered with red hair. Also Judas Iscariot is sometimes supposed to have been redheaded. King David is also known for having red hair.
  • 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. This myth is used as a plot device in the book The Da Vinci Code.
  • Ancient Romans considered redheads to be unlucky.
  • Ancient Egyptians associated both red-haired humans and red-colored animals with the god Set, considering them to be favored by the powerful and temperamental deity. Several pharaohs associated with Set are described as being red-headed.
  • In both the Iliad and the Odyssey, the Greek king Menelaus is repeatedly described as having red hair.
  • Ancient Roman descriptions of the Picts describe almost all of them as being red-headed.
  • The famous Viking explorer, Erik the Red, was known for his red hair. His son later went on to discover North America.
  • The Sherlock Holmes story "The Red-Headed League" (1891) was a favourite of its author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and revolves around an elite society restricted to red-heads.
  • The 1840 comic play Der Talisman by Johann Nestroy is about prejudice against red-heads.
  • According to English legend, King Arthur had long red hair. Many Arthurian myths end with the promise of his return in England's hour of need. Important English figures like Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Winston Churchill, both red heads, are said to be the fulfillment of this legend.

Further reading

Reference

  1. ^ Yamamoto M., and Neel J.V. "A note on red hair on the Island of Hirado, Japan". Jinrui Idengaku Zasshi. March 1967. 11 (4), pages 257-62.
  • Liem, Edwin B., et al. "Anesthetic Requirement Is Increased in Redheads" Anesthesiology: Volume 101(2) August 2004 pp 279-283.

See also

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