Rignall Family History

A variant of Reynold is Ragnald, and other variants like Regnal(d), Raignald, and Rignal(d) occur widely across England as Middle English and early Modern English forms of Reynold. It is unclear to what extent the historical spellings with -gn- represent a voiced palatal nasal /ɲ/ (as in French vigne) or the consonant cluster /gn/ that is present in the modern surname.

The earliest examples of Rag- spellings of given names in Yorks, Lincs, Notts, and Norfolk belong to Old Scandinavian Ragnaldr, which was probably absorbed at an early date into Reynold. This could perhaps stem from Rignall in Worminghall (Bucks), although this is not recorded until 1612 (as Ricknall), and may be a farm name derived from the surname of a tenant.

For instance, compare ‘the capital messuage, tenement or farm in Great Missenden called Ricknolds als Rignolds als Rikkohalte als Rightolte’ from 1697 in Centre for Bucks Studies. The farm names could formally derive from Ricknall (Durham), supposing that a family of that name moved to London and the south midlands, but no evidence has been found for a medieval surname from this place.

The explanation offered in the previous sentences is, therefore, the most likely. The Durham place-name derives from the Old English personal name Rīca (genitive Rīcan) or possibly from a stream name *Ríce meaning ‘rich (in fish)’ combined with Old English halh, which means ‘nook, corner of land’ or ‘water-meadow’.