Reynolds is a patronymic surname that means "son of Reynolds," where the father's given name, "Reynold" or "Reginald," was a Germanic name consisting of "*ragina + *walda," which means "Powerful Ruler" (possibly an alteration of the Old French name Reinold). The -s suffix comes from a Germanic personal name. There are other theories about the origin of this name.
As a first name, Reynolds is associated with people who fought for American independence. These include Benjamin Franklin Reynolds, who served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives; John Reynolds, who commanded colonial forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill; and Joshua Reynolds, one of the most important painters in the history of art.
As a last name, Reynolds is associated with people who worked in the tobacco industry. This includes Aaron Reynolds, who grew wealthy as the owner of a tobacco plantation in Virginia; and Lucius Reynolds, who played a role in the founding of Nashville, Tennessee.
There are several people with the first name Reynolds: a male American singer-songwriter born Richard Reynolds; two male American tennis players born Richard Lee Reynolds and Robert Reynolds; and a naval officer who served in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans during the 19th century.
The surname Reynolds is found across America and around the world.
Reynolds was a Norman immigration to England, derived from Reginald, or Reinold in Old French. The older root is the Old Norse Rognvaldr, which is made up of the parts ragin, which means "advice," and wald, which means "rule." In the 10th century, Reynold was a Viking commander who raided the English and Irish coasts. He may have been a relative of Ragnar Lothbrok, one of the most famous Vikings.
Reynolds has been used as a surname since the 14th century. Before that time it was usually given as a first name. The earliest record of Reynolds as a first name is 1350. It comes from an Old English word meaning "raid" or "expedition."
The original Reynolds family lived in Yorkshire, now part of North Britain. They had connections with Scotland, where they owned land near Selkirk Castle, now in Scotland. In 1555, Henry Reynolds, an early settler of Virginia, came over with other members of his family from Leeds in northern England. They were among the first settlers at Point Comfort, now called Reynolds Point, which was then part of West Virginia. This is how the surname Reynolds got its start in America.
Reynolds has been used as a first name since 1780.
Reynolds, R. (surname)
Origin | |
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Meaning | “son of Reynold” |
Region of origin | England; Liatroim, Ireland |
Frequency Comparisons: |
Although Reynolds is also an English Norman name, practically all Irish Reynolds are derived from the Gaelic name MacRaghnaill, which means "Son of Ragnall," a variant of Fandal or Reginald. Reynolds is the most widely used anglicization, while Mac-Rannal and Grannell are also used. The name was originally borne by a family who served as kings or chiefs of Dál Riata in Scotland before being expelled in 839.
Reynolds is also the name of an American tobacco company. It is not associated with any royal house or dynasty and there are no known connections between the two names other than they were both adopted by members of the British aristocracy.
The name Reynold is a Scottish girl's name that means "strong advice." This would be a daring yet beautiful decision for a girl in Scotland in the sixteenth century. The earliest record of the name is 1538, so it has been around for quite some time.
Reynolds is one of those names that you will never hear but everyone knows. It is popular among both boys and girls and there have been many famous people with the name including: Reynolds Woodson, an African-American civil rights leader; Reynolds Lyndon, a former president of the United States; and Reynolds Matt, founder of Matt's Intimate Apparel for Men.
There are currently more women than men with the name Reynold. It is especially common among females in the United States.
However, if you search back to the early records you will find that most names were originally written without any capital letters. So although today we know how to write the name Reynold, back then it was spelled ronald or Ronald. As you can see, this name has always had several forms of its own.
Currently the name has become more popular again for girls. There are also variations of this name such as Reyna, Renee, Renata, Renea, Reneee, etc.
Reynolds, Irish The surname is spelled Mac Raghnaill in Irish, and it is derived from the Old Norse Rognvald, a Latin borrowing of the terms "regal" and "valor." Ragnvald was the name of a Viking leader who lived in the 10th century. His byname means "powerful ruler" or "famous warrior."
The MacRae family name is also of Irish origin. They are descendants of Roderick MacRae, who arrived in Scotland during the reign of Malcolm III (1058-93). He was born in Ireland, the son of a wealthy landowner, and he had two siblings. After serving as a commander in King William II's army, Roderick married a Scottish princess and settled in Scotland. Their descendants include the MacRaes of Raeburn.
The name Reynolds is commonly found in England and America. It originated as an English given name that is derived from the elements reyne + old, meaning "renown" or "notable."
Scottish people with the first name Reynolds include: John Reynolds, an American military general (1786-1866); George Reynolds, an American politician who served as the 15th Governor of New York (1845-1850); and Henry Reynolds, a British historian and author (1814-1884).
The name De la Rey is a nickname or kind of surname for someone with regal bearing or who has performed the role of a king in a local event. Looking farther back, we discover that the name De la Rey was derived from the Old French word "roy," which means "king." The initial "R" was often omitted in medieval times to make words shorter.
The earliest record of the name dates back to 1066 when Henricus de la Rije was listed among the tenants-in-chief of William I the Conqueror.
The most common variant of the name today is De La Rey.
Other forms of the name include De Raey, De Raie, De Rait, and Dyar.
De la Rey is used as a given name by people outside of North America. It may be used as a diminutive name for someone who is named after a monarch or ruler.
There are many variations of names in English so one version may not be considered unusual.