This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Reynold,' i.e. Reginald. the French Regnauld and Renaud. One of the most popular font-names of the surname period; v. Reginald and Renaud.

John Reynold, Cambridgeshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Roger fil. Reynald, Oxfordshire, ibid.

William fil. Reynaud, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Rainaldus fil. Willelmi, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Ricardus Raynoldson, 1379: ibid.

Reginald, or Reynold Reading, 1560: Register of the University of Oxford.

1617. Robert Reyghnoldes and Jane Watts: Marriage Lic. (London).

This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Ronald.' The Scottish form of English Reynold, which see.

A variant of Ranald, which see. Jean Ronald, heir of John Ronald, portioner of Hlaikburne, her father, 1655 (Retours, Ayr, 472). Thomas Ronnald, schoolmaster of the "grammer schoole of Linlithgow," 1662 (SBR., p. 238).

RANALD: The Anglicized form of Gaelic Raonull, itself a borrowing from ON. Rognvaldr, 'ruler of (from) the gods,' or 'ruler of counsel,' in MacVurich (Rel. Celt., II, p. 156) it is Raghnall and Ragnall, and in the ms. of 1467 it is Ragnall. The genitive form occurs in a poem in the Dean of Lismore's collection as Rynilt, i.e. Raghnailt. In Easter Ross the name is pronounced Raoghalt (i.e. Ra'olt), and Maccodrum in his Taladh Iain Mhuideartaich spells it (Clann) Ra'ull (for Raonall). Ranald Macdonald, son of Alasdair Mhaighistir Alasdair, was known as Ra'oll Dubh. The devocalization of final ll suggested to non-Gaelic ears that a d followed (compare under Donald). John Rannald was burgess of Glasgow, 1463 (REG., 389), and Patrick Rannald held a tenement in Linlithgow, 1472 (Sc. Ant., XVII, p. 118). Thomas Rawnald was burgess of Dumbarton, 1500 (LCD., p. 204), and Malcolm Ranalde held a tenement in Glasgow, 1506 (REG., 485). The style of Mac Mhic Raghnaill applied to the chiefs of Keppoch is from Raghnall, beheaded at Elgin in 1547. From this comes Macranald (G. M'Raonuill). See also Raonaild.

A vocalized form of Reginald, q.v.: rarely is the second element of Reynold for Old Teutonic hold, gracious, faithful, loyal.

Rainald-us is a common Domesday form; and it is also found in the 14th-cent. Yorkshire Poll-Tax. Reynold and Reynold are Hundred - Rolls spellings. French forms are Regnauld, Regnault, Renaud, etc.; Renaud being the usual form of the Christian name.

Rainalde [variantly Reynald] the Reve, of Rotland sokene [Rutland jurisdiction].— Piers Plowman, ii. 110.

From Rainhold, a Teutonic personal name of great antiquity. Several tenants in chief in Domesd. are called Rainaldus.-Reynell, Reynard, Reynardson, Rennals, with perhaps Renn, Rainey, Rennie, Renny, and Rennison, are modifications and diminutives.

1. A Scotch form of Reynold. 2. Gael. Ronnalt, a proper name, said to be compounded of ronn, foam, and alt, a brook or stream, and, therefore, probably local.

(Saxon.) Sincere or pure love from, Rhein, pure, and hold, the old English for love. It also may signify strong or firm hold.

Godfrey, Robert, Torketil, William Renoldus, Normandy 1198 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). Giffard, John, William Reynold, Engl. c. 1272 (Rotuli Hundredorum).

Reynolds. —Its area of distribution is confined, for the most part, to the central part of England extending to the eastern counties between the Wash and the Thames. It is rare or absent in the south coast counties, excluding Cornwall, and excepting a scanty representation in Lancashire it does not occur north of a line drawn from the Humber to the Mersey. Shropshire, Norfolk, Wilts, and Cornwall are its principal homes. This name takes its origin from Rainhold, a Teutonic personal name of great antiquity. As Reynala it was well represented in the reign of Edward I. in Oxfordshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk (Hundred Rolls), in which last two counties the name is still established.