Show ContentsRunyan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Runyan surname is an Anglicization of the French name Rongnon.

Early Origins of the Runyan family

The surname Runyan was first found in on the island of Jersey, where an exile from Poitiers, France, made a brief stop on his way to America. It is unclear whether other Huguenots of this name settled in parts of England.

Early History of the Runyan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Runyan research. More information is included under the topic Early Runyan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Runyan Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Runyon, Runyan, Runyun, Runion, Rongnion, Runnion and others.

Early Notables of the Runyan family

Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Runyan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Runyan Ranking

In the United States, the name Runyan is the 4,352nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. [1]


United States Runyan migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Runyan Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Vincent Runyan, who arrived in New Jersey in 1665 [2]
Runyan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • B. F. Runyan, who settled in San Francisco in 1852
  • M. Runyan, who arrived in California in 1868
Runyan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Helen S. Runyan, aged 17, who landed in America, in 1903
  • S. Edith Runyan, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States, in 1903
  • Laura Runyan, aged 45, who immigrated to the United States, in 1905
  • Mary Runyan, aged 32, who landed in America, in 1905
  • Elmer Runyan, aged 49, who immigrated to the United States, in 1905
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Runyan (post 1700) +

  • Marla Runyan (b. 1969), American six-time gold medalist marathon runner
  • Paul Scott Runyan (1908-2002), American professional golfer, member of the World Golf Hall of Fame
  • Merle M. Runyan, American Democratic Party politician, Chair of Custer County Democratic Party, 1940; Member of Nebraska Democratic State Executive Committee, 1940 [3]
  • M. C. Runyan, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Oklahoma Territory, 1904 [3]
  • James A. Runyan, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Ohio 6th District, 1904; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1916 [3]
  • Cecil A. Runyan, American politician, Delegate to Michigan convention to ratify 21st amendment from Van Buren County, 1933 [3]
  • Tygh Runyan (b. 1976), Canadian actor and musician
  • Sean David Runyan (b. 1974), former Major League Baseball player


Suggested Readings for the name Runyan +

  • The Ancestors, and their Children of Enoch R. Runyan (1824-1908) of New Jersey and Illinois and his Known Descendants by Melba Marion Runyon Aaron.
  • Tracking Barefoot Runyan: Descendants of Isaac Barefoot Runyan: Tracing the Path of these Runyans from the Shenandoah Valley through Tennessee and Alabama on their Journey Westward by Marie Runyan Wright.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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