Reynolds
An English surname that most likely began as a patronymic, meaning “son of Reynold/Reginald.”
The #121 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 1,542 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Reynolds comes from the medieval personal name Reynold, a form of Reginald. The name ultimately goes back to Germanic elements meaning roughly “counsel” and “rule,” so the original sense was something like “powerful adviser” or “wise ruler.” The surname was formed as a family-name patronymic, identifying someone as Reynold’s son or descendant.
History
The surname is well established in England by the Middle Ages and later spread widely in Britain and overseas. Historical spellings and related forms include Reynoldson, Rennell, Rennals, and similar variants, reflecting local pronunciation and scribal change. It is now common in the English-speaking world, including the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname dictionaries often linked Reynolds with a whole cluster of regional variants, showing how flexible medieval spelling could be.
From the historical record
“Piers Plowman, ii. no. REYNOLDS, Reynold's (Son) 1 p„„„„,^ REYNOLDSON, RfeYNOLD's,SoN J ^- "eynoia RHEAD for Read, q.v. RHIND (Celt.) Bel. to Rhind or Rhynd /Perth- shire) = the Point (of Land) [O.Gael., and O.Ir. mrf(mod. Gael. »-(o)««h), a point, peninsula = Wei. rhyn, a cape] "The village of Rhynd ... is…”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)