Show ContentsRendell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the name Rendell are from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the baptismal name Randel. In this case the surname Rendell was a diminutive of the personal name Rand, a short form of various German names with the first element rand meaning shield or wolf. 1

Alternatively, the name was derived from the name of an ancestor as in 'the son of Randolph,' from the nickname Randle. As such, the earliest records of the family were as a forename as in Randle de Arclet, Cheshire, temp. 1290. 2

Early Origins of the Rendell family

The surname Rendell was first found in the parish of Ladock in Cornwall. "Hay, which was formerly deemed a genteel residence, was successively a seat of the families of Randyll, Tregain, and Bone." 3

Early History of the Rendell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rendell research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1436, 1570, 1581, 1587, 1592, 1598, 1622, 1758, 1781, 1799, 1815, 1822 and 1856 are included under the topic Early Rendell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rendell Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Rendell family name include Randall, Rendle, Randal, Rendel, Rendell and others.

Early Notables of the Rendell family

Notables of the family at this time include John Randall (1570-1622), English divine, born at Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire who was sent at the early age of eleven to St. Mary Hall, Oxford, where he matriculated on 27 Nov. 1581. He was elected a fellow of Lincoln College on 6 July 1587. "On the occasion of Queen Elizabeth's visit to Oxford, in August 1592, Randall was appointed to 'frame and oversee the stage for the academical performance given' in her honour." 4 William Randall (fl. 1598) was an English musician and is included by Meres in his list of England's 'excellente musitians.'John...
Another 187 words (13 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rendell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rendell Ranking

In Newfoundland, Canada, the name Rendell is the 620th most popular surname with an estimated 73 people with that name. 5

Ireland Migration of the Rendell family to Ireland

Some of the Rendell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Rendell migration to the United States +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Rendell surname or a spelling variation of the name include:

Rendell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Seth Rendell, who arrived in Mississippi in 1798 6
Rendell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • G Rendell, aged 36, who landed in South Carolina in 1812 6
  • Joseph Rendell, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1857

Australia Rendell migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Rendell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • James Rendell, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Santipore" in 1848 7
  • David Rendell, aged 32, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Standard" 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Rendell (post 1700) +

  • Marjorie "Midge" Osterlund Rendell (b. 1947), American federal judge and former First Lady of Pennsylvania
  • Edward Gene "Ed" Rendell (b. 1944), American politician and Governor of Pennsylvania
  • Edward G. Rendell (b. 1944), American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1992-2000 9
  • Donald Percy "Don" Rendell (1926-2015), English jazz musician and arranger
  • Ruth Barbara Rendell CBE (1930-2015), Baroness Rendell of Babergh, English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries, best known for her Chief Inspector Wexford series
  • Scott Rendell (b. 1986), English footballer
  • Matthew Rendell (1959-2023), Australian rules footballer who played in 256 matches scoring 147 goals in the Australian Football League and South Australian National Football League (1977-1992)
  • Stuart Rendell (b. 1972), Australian Olympic hammer thrower
  • Stephen Rendell Herder, newspaper publisher in St. John's, Newfoundland
  • Charles Rendell Mabey (1877-1959), American politician, the fifth Governor of Utah

HMS Hood
  • Mr. Stewart R J Rendell (b. 1921), English Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from South Wigston, Leicestershire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 10
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Edwin Rendell, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 11


The Rendell 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: Nil extra numerum
Motto Translation: Nothing out of time.


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  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)
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SANTIPORE 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Santipore.htm
  8. South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) STANDARD 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/standard1852.shtml
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  10. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  11. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html


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