Less than 2% of the population are redheads. Throughout history, they have been worshipped, idealized, fetishized, feared and condemned. We asked Rachael Gibson, a redhead historian, to point out the most intriguing moments in the history of ginger (another way to describe redheads) hair, as well as recommend some books, if you choose to investigate further. Whether you are a redhead, know a redhead, or are just an enthusiast, this article has you covered!

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An Overview of Red Hair’s History

Throughout history, red hair has been associated with evil; vampires, witches and outsiders were traditionally always portrayed with red hair. There are numerous reasons for this, one being that actually having red hair is incredibly rare (less than 2%, remember?), and society is generally suspicious about anything ‘different’, particularly when it is so very noticeable and eye-catching. Some scholars also trace this fear/dislike of red hair back to the belief that Judas, who betrayed Jesus in the Bible, had red hair. Culturally, anyone with red hair has often been assumed to have a hot temper and tempestuous personality.

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And, yet, not every society had negative views of red hair; in Italy and Greece, it was historically viewed as very popular – perhaps due to its rarity in these parts of the world. As we look through history, we find that henna has also been used since ancient times to create red hair and was very popular in Ancient Egypt and in the Middle East. In Elizabethan England, red hair was very popular, owing to Elizabeth I’s natural red hair, and many men and women colored their hair red to show loyalty. In the 16th century, the popularity of Tiziano Vecelli, as he was known in English, Titian’s art started a trend for red hair, too, with Italian women using ingredients, including saffron and rhubarb, to achieve the color.