# How common are real red-heads? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 11, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625 "2005-08-11T19:33:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/21 "2005-08-11T21:16:17Z")
> [@Pixisis](#): > > my brother has blond hair, black eyebrows, and a red beard (when he lets it grown in, anyway) > > none of us has been able to figure that one out. 😃 That’s not so strange. I’ve known a number of “Black Irish” folk who at various points in their career had very dark eyebrows (lifelong), reddish beards (lifelong), and hair that morphed (from childhood onward) from pale yellow to reddish brown to black with reddish overtones. ---
**Author:** ![Future\_days](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@Future\_days](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_days)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/22 "2005-08-11T21:16:33Z")
Ah! A proper red head at last! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/23 "2005-08-11T21:16:46Z")
> [@Pixisis](#): > > my brother has blond hair, black eyebrows, and a red beard (when he lets it grown in, anyway) It is strange how many guys have a beard color different than their head hair color. My head hair is brown (fairly dark brown) but I get red streaks in my beard when I grow it in. Of course, I get more grey streaks than red nowadays… 🙂 One thing to keep in mind is that “red hair” is really a catch-all for a few different colors (orange to strawberry blond to auburn). I do think the statement about Scotland being home to the highest % of redheads is likely to be true, btw. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/24 "2005-08-11T22:21:43Z")
I am a ‘proper’ redhead, but most of my bodily hair is blonde. I have my brows dyed so that it looks like I actually have eyebrows. I have noticed that there are more redheads in Canada than the US; but then, there are a higher percentage of Caucasians in Canada than the US. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/25 "2005-08-12T03:24:38Z")
> [@Hello Again](#): > > Uh, it’s really common for darker shades of redheads to have brownish eyebrows. I do. I think a strong distinction between reddish tones in hair (auburns) and “true” redheads is being drawn by the OP. The color in that picture is most definitely _not_ the orangey tone of a “true”. Incidentally, there’s also a certain texture to “true” red hair that’s pretty much inimitable, except for a partial albino I knew once who I’m pretty sure would have been a readhead had her hair not been so pale. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/26 "2005-08-12T03:28:17Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > It is strange how many guys have a beard color different than their head hair color. My head hair is brown (fairly dark brown) but I get red streaks in my beard when I grow it in. Of course, I get more grey streaks than red nowadays… 🙂 I’ve got the same coloration here. I’m wondering if my beard will ever change, because when I was 4 I had “true red” Shirley Temple curls, and now it’s dark brown with a reddish undertone. Incidentally, going by common usage I could get away will calling myself a “redhead” from that undertone, but I think it’s important to have standards for usage. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/27 "2005-08-12T03:41:49Z")
> [@Mathochist](#): > > Incidentally, there’s also a certain texture to “true” red hair that’s pretty much inimitable, except for a partial albino I knew once who I’m pretty sure would have been a readhead had her hair not been so pale. What’s a “partial” albino? I know what you’re trying to say, but I don’t think there’s any such thing. You’re probably just talking about someone who is very pale. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/28 "2005-08-12T03:41:52Z")
> [@Mathochist](#): > > I think a strong distinction between reddish tones in hair (auburns) and “true” redheads is being drawn by the OP. The color in that picture is most definitely _not_ the orangey tone of a “true”. > > Incidentally, there’s also a certain texture to “true” red hair that’s pretty much inimitable, except for a partial albino I knew once who I’m pretty sure would have been a readhead had her hair not been so pale. The implication of his post was that the dark eyebrows made the red hair impossible. My point was, not at all. The color looks fake, but the eyebrows have nothing to do with it. Supposedly there are two types of redhead coloring: “autumn type” with brown or hazel eyes and medium/golden complexion and “Celtic type” with blue or green eyes and very pale/white complexion. I’m definitely “autmn type” with brown eyes and no freckles – my family is Polish, where there is also a cluster of red hair. Everyone else in my immediate family has black hair, and I’m given to understand that red is actually a variant on black, rather than a variant on blonde or brown. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/29 "2005-08-12T03:47:43Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > What’s a “partial” albino? I know what you’re trying to say, but I don’t think there’s any such thing. You’re probably just talking about someone who is very pale. There are different degrees of albinism. My friend was not just very pale. She wasn’t Powder, but she made Swedes look like Hutus. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/30 "2005-08-12T04:33:45Z")
Completely non-Irish/Scottish guy checking in. Like some other folks here, I’ve got fairly dark hair on my head (well, I used to, now it’s mostly scalp-colored) but my beard tends to come in pretty red. My Dad is the same way and I’m told that his dad was the same as well. In the TMI department, other body hair is dark-light brown except for my pubic hair which shows up red… ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/31 "2005-08-12T06:50:35Z")
> [@Mathochist](#): > > There are different degrees of albinism. Really? Can you please provide a reference? ---
**Author:** ![Pixisis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Pixisis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixisis)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/32 "2005-08-12T08:08:17Z")
> [@Hello Again](#): > > I’m given to understand that red is actually a variant on black, rather than a variant on blonde or brown. There are two sorts of pigment in hair: eumelanin, which is brown or black; and phaeomelanin, which is red or yellow. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/33 "2005-08-12T14:50:09Z")
Interestingly, this article suggests that red pigment in hair is more common, but its appearance is often masked by black or brown. [http://www3.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?id=266300](http://www3.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?id=266300) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/34 "2005-08-12T16:48:47Z")
> [@Mathochist](#): > > There are different degrees of albinism. My friend was not just very pale. She wasn’t Powder, but she made Swedes look like Hutus. Maybe it’s just semantics. There is more than one gene involved in the condition of albinism (IIRC), but you do have to have all the genes to be called an albino. Being a partial albino is like being partially pregnant. You either are or you aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/35 "2005-08-12T18:17:08Z")
> [@Valgard](#): > > Completely non-Irish/Scottish guy checking in. Like some other folks here, I’ve got fairly dark hair on my head (well, I used to, now it’s mostly scalp-colored) but my beard tends to come in pretty red. My Dad is the same way and I’m told that his dad was the same as well. Me too. Brown hair (thinning), red beard, blond mustache. ---
**Author:** ![Future\_days](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@Future\_days](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_days)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/36 "2005-08-12T18:31:47Z")
> [@Hello Again](#): > > The implication of his post was that the dark eyebrows made the red hair impossible. My point was, not at all. The color looks fake, but the eyebrows have nothing to do with it. > > Supposedly there are two types of redhead coloring: “autumn type” with brown or hazel eyes and medium/golden complexion and “Celtic type” with blue or green eyes and very pale/white complexion. I’m definitely “autmn type” with brown eyes and no freckles – my family is Polish, where there is also a cluster of red hair. Everyone else in my immediate family has black hair, and I’m given to understand that red is actually a variant on black, rather than a variant on blonde or brown. Yes well I dont regard auburn as a true red head. Most true red heads have red eyebrows too. Some exceptions of coarse but most do. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/37 "2005-08-12T18:40:25Z")
I’m a true redhead, hair that almost has magenta overtones in bright sunlight. My sister’s a redhead, and then the next closest redhead in our family is a great-uncle. Very interesting article! Daniel ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/38 "2005-08-12T18:55:54Z")
Every other kid around here seems to have red hair. My daughter (5) has several boy friends, and most of them are red-headed. My younger daughter (2) has fluffy pale red curls, and I wish people didn’t treat her like a celebrity because of it. Maybe we’re some sort of statistical anomaly, a random grouping of redheads. But it’s really common around here. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/39 "2005-08-12T19:31:40Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Pretty much any comprehensive article on redheads is going to have to deal with why so many men have the hots for them. I can’t speak for anyone else, but personally I blame Tom Robbins and his novel “Still Life With Woodpecker”. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625/40 "2005-08-12T20:13:27Z")
> [@Future days](#): > > Yes well I dont regard auburn as a true red head. Most true red heads have red eyebrows too. Some exceptions of coarse but most do. Oh, ok then, I see. So your question is “how common are redheads by my own personal definition of them?” Since you’re the only one that knows the answer to that one, you’ll have to tell us. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-are-real-red-heads/316625.md?page=3)