Renolds History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Renolds was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the Norman given name Reginald or Regenweald, meaning brave councilor, which is an alteration of the Old French name Reinold. "Several tenants in chief in Domesday [Book] are called Rainaldus. Reynell, Reynard, Reynardson, Rennal." 1
"Its area of distribution is confined, for the most part, to the central part of England extending to the eastern counties between the Wash and the Thames. It is rare or absent in the south coast counties, excluding Cornwall, and excepting a scanty representation in Lancashire it does not occur north of a line drawn from the Humber to the Mersey. Shropshire, Norfolk, Wilts, and Cornwall are its principal homes." 2
Early Origins of the Renolds family
The surname Renolds was first found in Somerset where they were granted lands by William the Conqueror after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Early records of the name mention Willemus filius Raunaldi who was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. Walter Reynolds (died 1327) was Bishop of Worcester, Archbishop of Canterbury (1313-1327), Lord High Treasurer and Lord Chancellor. 3
"The manor of Trebartha [in Cornwall] is said to have belonged to Walter Reynell, a knight of Gascony, so early as the reign of Richard I. at which time he was Castellan of Launceston." 4
The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed John Reynold, Cambridgeshire; Roger filius Reynald, Oxfordshire; and William filius Reynaud, Cambridgeshire. And the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Rainaldus filius Willelmi; and Ricardus Raynoldson. 5
Early History of the Renolds family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Renolds research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1191, 1194, 1198, 1313, 1327, 1544, 1549, 1588, 1589, 1594, 1599, 1607, 1612, 1624, 1625, 1636, 1655, 1657, 1663, 1676 and 1690 are included under the topic Early Renolds History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Renolds Spelling Variations
A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Reynell, Reynolds, Reynold, Reynalds, Reynell, Renaud, Renaut, Renouf, Rennard, Renals, Rennell, Rennels and many more.
Early Notables of the Renolds family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Walter Reynolds (d. 1327) the son of a Windsor baker, who became a favorite of King Edward II, Archbishop of Canterbury (1313-1327); John Reynolds (c. 1588-c. 1655), an English merchant and writer from Exeter, produced a series of violent stories around marriage, adultery and murder as well as some political writings that caused him to be imprisoned.
John Reynolds or Rainolds (1549-1607), was English president of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and dean of Lincoln, born at Pinhoe, near Exeter. William Reinolds (c. 1544-1594), was an English Roman Catholic divine, second son of Richard Rainolds...
Another 152 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Renolds Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Renolds family to Ireland
Some of the Renolds family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Renolds migration to the United States +
Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Renolds or a variant listed above:
Renolds Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Mary Renolds, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 6
- Elizabeth Renolds, who landed in Virginia in 1657 6
- Peter Renolds, who landed in Virginia in 1661 6
- William Renolds, who landed in Maryland in 1662 6
- John Renolds, who arrived in Maryland in 1671 6
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Renolds Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Joseph Renolds, who landed in Texas in 1835 6
Renolds migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Renolds Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. James Renolds, (b. 1813), aged 18, Irish labourer who was convicted in County Meath, Ireland for 7 years for highway robbery, transported aboard the "Captain Cook" on 5th November 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
Renolds migration to New Zealand +
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:
Renolds Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Christopher Renolds, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cartvale" in 1874
- Mary A. Renolds, aged 26, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cartvale" in 1874
- Sarah A. Renolds, aged 6, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cartvale" in 1874
- Ellen Renolds, aged 4, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cartvale" in 1874
- Spencer F. Renolds, aged 1, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cartvale" in 1874
Contemporary Notables of the name Renolds (post 1700) +
- Davis Renolds Challoner, university official, physician, chief medical resident in endocrinology research, recipient of the Harvard Medical Alumni Award
The Renolds Motto +
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Jus meum tuebor
Motto Translation: I will defend my right.
Citations +
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- 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)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/captain-cook