Reynolds (surname)

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Reynolds
Family name
Meaning "son of Reynold"
Region of origin England; Liatroim, Ireland
Footnotes: [1]

Reynolds is a surname in the English language. There are two major lineages of the surname,[citation needed] Irish and English. Among the earliest recorded use of the surname is from the early 14th century; Walter Reynolds of Worcester, England.

Irish Reynolds

In Ireland, the Reynolds surname originates in and around County Leitrim,[citation needed] where the name was rather influential before the seventeenth century. In the Irish language, the surname is rendered Mac Raghnaill, and the name is ultimately derived from the Old Norse Rognvald. Throughout Ireland's rich history, the Reynolds family name was a prominent one, and even today, County Leitrim is the principal stronghold of the name, nearly half the people in Ireland so called hailing from that area.

Like many Irish families, the Reynolds began emigrating from Ireland in two fronts, early on in America's history, as they settled in the northeast prior to the American Revolution and during the "Irish Famine", when millions of Irish Catholics came to North America.

There is also a branch of the family which traces its origin to Phillipe D'Reynald, a templar knight who was required to return from the Holy Land and take up the legacy of his deceased brother William. However, this branch is more difficult to locate but is believed to have moved through Normandy and Somerset and on to Ireland. Steven C. Reynolds a descendant of Leonard C. Reynolds Sr. leads this family in the United States.

Some of the better-known Reynoldses include:

English Reynolds

Reynolds Family Crest
Joshua Reynolds - self-portrait

Reynolds is a patronymic surname meaning "son of Reynold", where the given name of the father, "Reynold", or "Reginald",[2] was a Germanic name meaning "Powerful Ruler"[3] (possibly an alteration of the Old French name Reinold). The addition of "s" to the father's first name makes Reynolds a simple genitive case patronymic.[4] The name Reynold is composed of the elements Rey[5] means "king", derived from the Latin Rex, Regis and Wald[6] from Old English means to be strong, be powerful.

Possessors of these names arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066,[7] and early English chronicles indicate a Norman origin, with the name appearing in England from about 1066. Early records of the name mention Willemus filius Raunaldi who was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086, in which "Rainald-us" is a common Christian name.[8] The alternative saxon origin is less commonly cited (in this etymology, the name is constructed from the saxon words Rhein, pure, and hold, love).[9]

The name Reynolds appeared in many references, but spellings included Reynell (surname), Reynalds,[8] Renals, Rennels and many more. Scribes recorded and spelled the name as it sounded. Hence, a person would appear to be born with one spelling, married with another, and buried with still another.

Reynolds emerged as a notable family name in the county of Somerset where Sir Richard Reynell (died 1194) held a family seat at Pitney and was given custody of the Castles at Exeter and Launceston by King Richard I when he went to the Holy Land in 1191. In 1198 Godfrey, Robert and Torketil Renoldus were registered in Normandy.

Meanwhile many of the junior branches had joined the Earl of Pembroke's Irish invasion, where they became the Earls of Cavan, of Lisburne, of Mountmorris. In England the main line was forfeited but Sir Richard's son recovered the lands and became the Earl of Devon. This distinguished west country family also branched to other locations in England, mostly under the name 'Reynolds; for example, Walter Reynolds (died 1327) was the son of a Windsor baker, who became the favourite of King Edward II and Archbishop of Canterbury (1313–1327).

During the 12th century many of these Norman families moved north to Scotland in the train of the Earl of Huntington, later to become King David of Scotland.

In Ireland, settlers became known as the "Adventurers for land." They "undertook" to keep the Protestant faith, and were granted lands previously held by the Irish. This family migrated to Ireland during two periods, first with the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, and later, in the 17th century giving rise to the Reynells of Reynell castle. In some cases it is difficult to distinguish early migrants from native Irish Reynolds who derive their name from McRannell, formerly spelled "Mac Ragnaill".

Among settlers to North America bearing the family name Reynolds were Henry, Samuel, Thomas Reynold settled in the Barbados in 1688; Christopher Reynolds settled in Virginia in 1622; Nathaniel Reynold settled in Salem in 1630; Robert Reynolds settled in Salem in 1630 with Mary and his four children; Cornelius, Edward, George, Hannah, James, Mary, Nicholas, Richard Reynolds also settled in Virginia. During the American War of Independence some declared their loyalty to the Crown and moved into Canada as United Empire Loyalists.

More recently, notable bearers of the Reynolds surname include: Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), painter; John Reynolds (U.S. politician) (1788–1865), American politician, Governor of Illinois; James Clark McReynolds (1862–1946), U.S. Attorney General (1913–14) and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1914–41); Albert Reynolds (b. 1935), Irish politician, Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland (1992–95); Debbie Reynolds (b. 1932), American actress, dancer and singer; Christopher Reynolds, Australian Archbishop of Adelaide (1873–1893); as well as Burt Reynolds (b. 1936), American actor.

The most ancient grant of a Coat of Arms found was a silver shield with a portcullis and three blue bars; A fox was the crest.

Mottos

The ancient family Motto for this distinguished name was: Jus meum tuebor

Motto translation: I will defend my right.[10]

Or, "Favente Deo ("By God's favour").[11]

Portuguese Reynolds

Reynolds Family Crest (Portugal)

Originally from Maidstone, Kent, England, the first Reynolds that would relate to Portugal, Thomas Johnson William Reynolds, born in 1786, was a naval officer but withdrawn, settled later in Chatam, also in the county Kent, as an importer of fruit, wine corks and virgin cork from Spain and Portugal, until, because of a liver disease, on the advice of a doctor, that Reynolds begins a sea voyage that brings him to Porto, where he saw a good opportunity to expand his business. With him come his sons, Thomas, William and Robert Hunter Reynolds, born respectively in 1811 and 1820. His daughter already born in Port Elizabeth in 1828.

Portugal proved to be a wealth of opportunities for these Reynolds. His son Robert, was the cork that brought him to the Alentejo region, where he began his purchase still on the tree, paying in advance, sometimes several years, with risk but with superb profits. Thus came the Alentejo and setting properties in Estremoz, accompanied by a nephew, son of Thomas, born in 1842, named William Reynolds.[12]

People

People whose family name is or was Reynolds include:

  • Adam Reynolds, Australian rugby league footballer
  • Alastair Reynolds (born 1966), Welsh science fiction author
  • Alexander Reynolds (1816–1876), American Army officer & Confederate general
  • Allie Reynolds (1917–1994), Major League Baseball pitcher
  • Alvina Reynolds, Saint Lucian politician
  • Andrew Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Bob Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Brayley Reynolds (born 1935), Welsh footballer
  • Brian Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Burt Reynolds (born 1936), U.S. actor
  • Butch Reynolds (born 1964), American track star
  • Carl Reynolds (1903–1978), Major League Baseball outfielder
  • Charles Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Christopher Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Craig Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Dallas Reynolds (born 1984), American football player
  • Dan Reynolds (disambiguation)(born 1987), U.S. musician (Imagine Dragons frontman)
  • David Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Dean Reynolds (born 1963), English professional snooker player
  • Debbie Reynolds (born 1932), U.S. actress
  • Debby Reynolds, former UK Chief Veterinary Officer
  • Douglas Reynolds (1882–1916), English recipient of the Victoria Cross
  • DJ eL Reynolds (born Lee Martin Reynolds), English DJ/radio personality, also of Filipino descent
  • Frank Reynolds (1923–1983), journalist for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
  • Gene Reynolds (born 1924), U.S. actor, writer, and producer/director
  • Gene Reynolds (born 1950), Louisiana politician
  • George Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Gerald Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Gerry Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Harold Reynolds (born 1960), Major League Baseball second baseman
  • Henry Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Hiram Reynolds (1854–1938), General Superintendent, Church of the Nazarene
  • J. Sargeant Reynolds, U.S. politician
  • James Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Jack Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Jeremiah N. Reynolds (1799–1858), newspaper editor, lecturer, explorer and author
  • Jerry Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Joffrey Reynolds (born 1979), gridiron football player
  • John Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • John F. Reynolds (Born 1957), South African Navy submariner, photographer
  • Joseph Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Josh Reynolds (born 1989), Australian rugby league footballer
  • Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), English painter
  • Joyce Reynolds, computer science professor
  • Luke Reynolds, English singer/songwriter
  • Mack Reynolds (1917–1983), U.S. pulp science fiction magazine author
  • Malvina Reynolds (1900–1978), American folk/blues singer-songwriter and political activist
  • Mark Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Mel Reynolds (born 1952), U.S. politician
  • Norman Reynolds, British Academy Award winning art director
  • Osborne Reynolds (1842–1912), Irish physicist and engineer
  • Pam Reynolds (singer), American musician who had a famous near-death experience
  • Patrick Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Paul Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • R. J. Reynolds (1850–1918), founder of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
  • Robert Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Roger Reynolds (born 1934), U.S. composer
  • Richard Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Roughton "Rou" Reynolds, lead singer/electronics in Enter Shikari; an English post-hardcore band
  • Ryan Reynolds (born 1976), Canadian actor
  • Samuel Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Scottie Reynolds (born 1987), American basketball player
  • Shane Reynolds (born 1968), Major League Baseball pitcher
  • Simon Reynolds, British music critic
  • Thomas Reynolds (disambiguation)
  • Tim Reynolds, guitarist
  • Tommie Reynolds (born 1941), Major League Baseball outfielder
  • Walter Reynolds (died 1327), Archbishop of Canterbury
  • Wellington J. Reynolds (April 9, 1865 in New Lenox, Illinois – 1949), portrait painter and art instructor at the Art Institute of Chicago
  • William Reynolds (disambiguation)

Fictional characters

Other

  • Reynolds cycling team, Spanish professional cycling team

Bibliography

PAINHA, José Maria. Chá de Azeite - O Trajecto Empresarial da Casa Reynolds no Alentejo e Extremadura (1838-1890). Estremoz:Câmara Municipal de Estremoz, 2008. ISBN 978-989-95187-8-0.

References

  1. ↑ British surnames
  2. ↑ Bardsley, C. W. (1996) [1901]. A dictionary of English and Welsh surnames. Genealogical Pub. Co. p. 643. ISBN 978-0-8063-0022-1. OCLC 36426097. 
  3. ↑ "REYNOLDS - Name Meaning & Origin". astro-centr.net. Retrieved 2012-03-27. 
  4. ↑ Lower, M. A. (January 1849). English surnames. An essay on family nomenclature, historical, etymological, and humorous. University of Michigan Library. p. 160. 
  5. ↑ "Rey - Meaning & Origin". wiktionary.org. Retrieved 2012-03-27. 
  6. ↑ "Wald - Meaning & Origin". wiktionary.org. Retrieved 2012-03-27. 
  7. ↑ Shelley, C. "Select Reynolds Surname Genealogy". 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Harrison, H. (2005) [1912]. Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary. p. 160. ISBN 978-0-8063-0171-6. OCLC 228288696. 
  9. ↑ Arthur, W. (1857). An etymological dictionary of family and Christian names. OCLC 1388229. 
  10. ↑ "The Ancient History of the Distinguished Surname Reynolds". Certificate # 25372201034206 218537. Swyrich Corp. 1998 - 2010 
  11. ↑ "Selected mottoes for names beginning with "Q" or "R"". Fleur-de-Lis designs. 
  12. ↑ Los Reynolds Pérez-Montalvo


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