Reynold Family History

English (of Norman origin): from the Anglo-Norman French and Middle English personal name Reinald Reynaud (ancient Germanic Raginald from ragin ‘counsel decision’ + wald ‘rule ruler’) first introduced to England by Scandinavian settlers in the Old Norse form Rǫgnvaldr (see Ronald) and greatly reinforced after the Conquest by the Norman forms Reinald and Reynaud which often appear Latinized as Reginaldus.

The surname was later much confused with Raynor and Renard. The surname is occasionally also borne by Jews in which case it presumably represents an Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Jewish surnames.