NameCensus.

UK surname

Rennolds

A variant of the surname Reynolds, likely derived from a nickname or place name.

In the 1881 census there were 115 people recorded with the Rennolds surname, ranking it #18,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 116, ranked #28,197, down from #18,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bedminster and Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bristol, Darlington and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rennolds is 145 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.9%.

1881 census count

115

Ranked #18,230

Modern count

116

2016, ranked #28,197

Peak year

1891

145 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rennolds had 115 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016, ranked #28,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 145 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Rennolds surname distribution map

The map shows where the Rennolds surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Rennolds surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rennolds over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 92 #18,050
1861 historical 132 #16,957
1881 historical 115 #18,230
1891 historical 145 #18,752
1901 historical 130 #19,649
1911 historical 145 #18,255
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 138 #22,814
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 127 #24,121
2001 modern 125 #24,011
2002 modern 135 #23,398
2003 modern 120 #24,909
2004 modern 121 #24,939
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 123 #24,873
2007 modern 113 #26,641
2008 modern 109 #27,533
2009 modern 116 #27,062
2010 modern 109 #28,831
2011 modern 114 #27,784
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 116 #27,992
2014 modern 118 #27,961
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 116 #28,197

Geography

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Where Rennolds' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bedminster, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Barking and Redruth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bristol, Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees and North Somerset. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bedminster Somerset
3 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
4 Barking Essex
5 Redruth Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bristol 046 Bristol, City of
2 Darlington 015 Darlington
3 Bristol 038 Bristol, City of
4 Stockton-on-Tees 024 Stockton-on-Tees
5 North Somerset 014 North Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rennolds

These lists show first names that appear often with the Rennolds surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rennolds

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rennolds, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Rennolds surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rennolds household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rennolds is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rennolds is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rennolds falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rennolds is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Rennolds, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rennolds

The surname Rennolds has its origins in medieval England, emerging in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "rennan," which means "to run." This suggests that the name was initially an occupational descriptor, referring to a messenger or courier who delivered important messages on foot.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, where a certain Willelmus Reynald is mentioned. This spelling variation, "Reynald," provides insight into the name's evolution over time.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire (1273), where a Henry Reynald is listed as a landowner. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex (1296) also mention a Johannes Reynold, indicating the name's spread across different regions of England.

During the 14th century, the surname took on various spellings, including Reynold, Reynalde, and Reynoldes. One notable individual from this period was John Reynoldes, a renowned English philosopher and theologian who lived from 1330 to 1392.

The 15th century saw the emergence of the spelling "Rennolds," as evidenced by records from the borough of Stratford-upon-Avon, where a William Rennolds is mentioned in 1438. This particular spelling would become more prevalent in subsequent centuries.

In the 16th century, the surname gained prominence with the rise of Sir John Rennolds (1497-1567), a prominent merchant and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. His wealth and influence helped establish the Rennolds family as a respected lineage in England.

Another notable figure was Thomas Rennolds (1560-1624), a renowned English playwright and poet who was a contemporary of William Shakespeare. His works, including the play "The Coxcomb," were widely acclaimed during the Elizabethan era.

During the 17th century, the surname spread to the American colonies, with records indicating the presence of Rennolds families in Virginia and Massachusetts. One such individual was William Rennolds (1623-1699), a merchant and landowner who settled in Jamestown, Virginia, in the 1640s.

In the 18th century, the name continued to be prevalent in both England and the American colonies. Notable figures from this period include Richard Rennolds (1722-1789), a prominent British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, and James Rennolds (1738-1811), an American Revolutionary War soldier who fought alongside George Washington.

The 19th century saw the rise of several influential individuals bearing the Rennolds surname. Among them was Sir John Rennolds (1810-1892), a British industrialist and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the textile industry in Manchester.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rennolds families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rennolds surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Somerset leads with 85 Rennolds' recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.49x.

County Total Index
Somerset 85 47.49x
Essex 6 2.73x
Devon 4 1.73x
Durham 4 1.21x
Surrey 3 0.55x
Yorkshire 3 0.27x
Cumberland 2 2.09x
Sussex 2 1.07x
Flintshire 1 3.35x
Lanarkshire 1 0.28x
Lincolnshire 1 0.56x
Shropshire 1 1.04x
Wiltshire 1 1.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedminster in Somerset leads with 83 Rennolds' recorded in 1881 and an index of 493.46x.

Place Total Index
Bedminster 83 493.46x
Ramsey 6 2068.97x
Westoe 4 21.33x
Plymouth Charles The 3 29.41x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 13.41x
Chailey 2 344.83x
Great Clifton 2 540.54x
Bloxholm 1 2500.00x
Bradford 1 3.75x
Dewsbury 1 8.85x
Glasgow 1 1.57x
Ludlow St Lawrence 1 52.36x
Mold Bistree 1 204.08x
Paulton 1 121.95x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 5.61x
Saddleworth 1 11.76x
Swindon 1 13.11x
Westonsuper Mare 1 277.78x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Rennolds surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Rennolds surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 11
William 7
Charles 3
George 3
Henry 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Frank 2
James 2
Moses 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Enoch 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Isac 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
Philip 1
Saml. 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Rennolds surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rennolds surname in 1881?

In 1881, 115 people were recorded with the Rennolds surname. That placed it at #18,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rennolds surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016. That gives Rennolds a modern rank of #28,197.

What does the Rennolds surname mean?

A variant of the surname Reynolds, likely derived from a nickname or place name.

What does the Rennolds map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rennolds bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.