UK surname
A surname derived from the Old French personal name "Reinald", itself from the Germanic name "Raginald" meaning "counsel" and "power".
In the 1881 census there were 412 people recorded with the Reynold surname, ranking it #7,814 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 85, ranked #32,637, down from #7,814 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Llanwinio, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reynold is 959 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 79.4%.
1881 census count
412
Ranked #7,814
Modern count
85
2016, ranked #32,637
Peak year
1861
959 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Reynold surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Reynold surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 595 | #4,311 |
| 1861 | historical | 959 | #2,895 |
| 1881 | historical | 412 | #7,814 |
| 1891 | historical | 883 | #4,664 |
| 1901 | historical | 302 | #11,592 |
| 1911 | historical | 331 | #10,654 |
| 1997 | modern | 76 | #29,997 |
| 1998 | modern | 70 | #30,968 |
| 1999 | modern | 69 | #31,223 |
| 2000 | modern | 64 | #31,735 |
| 2001 | modern | 59 | #32,080 |
| 2002 | modern | 59 | #32,468 |
| 2003 | modern | 51 | #33,266 |
| 2004 | modern | 54 | #33,248 |
| 2005 | modern | 50 | #33,784 |
| 2006 | modern | 52 | #33,923 |
| 2007 | modern | 65 | #33,045 |
| 2008 | modern | 72 | #32,656 |
| 2009 | modern | 78 | #32,471 |
| 2010 | modern | 87 | #31,990 |
| 2011 | modern | 88 | #31,801 |
| 2012 | modern | 87 | #32,180 |
| 2013 | modern | 95 | #31,523 |
| 2014 | modern | 93 | #32,025 |
| 2015 | modern | 87 | #32,514 |
| 2016 | modern | 85 | #32,637 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Llanwinio, London parishes, St Pancras, St Dunstan Stepney and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Llanwinio | Carmarthenshire |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | St Dunstan Stepney | London (East Districts) |
| 5 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Reynold surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Reynold, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Reynold surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Reynold household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Reynold is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Reynold is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Reynold, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Reynold is of English origin, derived from the Old English personal name Reinald, which was originally made up of the Germanic elements "ragin" meaning "counsel" and "wald" meaning "rule." It was introduced to England by the Normans after the Norman Conquest of 1066.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Reynold can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Reinaldus." This suggests that the name was already in use in England by the late 11th century.
In the 12th century, the name Reynold began to appear in various forms, such as Reynald, Reginald, and Reynaud, reflecting its Norman French influence. During this period, the name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.
A notable bearer of the name was Reynold de Mohun, a 12th-century Norman baron who played a significant role in the Anarchy, a civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda over the English throne.
In the 13th century, the name Reynold was associated with several place names in England, such as Reynoldston in Glamorgan, Wales, and Reynoldsbury in Buckinghamshire. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the surname.
One of the most famous bearers of the surname Reynold was Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), a highly acclaimed English portrait painter and one of the most influential figures in 18th-century British art.
Another notable figure was Sir Reynold Bray (c. 1440-1503), a close advisor to King Henry VII and a prominent figure in the Wars of the Roses. He played a crucial role in establishing the Tudor dynasty.
In the field of literature, Robert Reynold Whitelaw (1805-1862) was a Scottish poet and journalist who wrote under the pen name "The Bard of Renfrewshire."
During the American Civil War, John F. Reynold (1820-1863) was a highly respected Union Army officer who was killed in action at the Battle of Gettysburg.
In more recent times, Sir Reynold George Walter (1910-1991) was a British diplomat and former Ambassador to the United States, serving from 1970 to 1976.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reynold surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 66 Reynolds recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.63x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 66 | 1.63x |
| Yorkshire | 39 | 0.97x |
| Lancashire | 37 | 0.77x |
| Kent | 33 | 2.39x |
| Norfolk | 20 | 3.22x |
| Worcestershire | 20 | 3.79x |
| Carmarthenshire | 18 | 10.58x |
| Glamorgan | 18 | 2.56x |
| Surrey | 18 | 0.91x |
| Northamptonshire | 14 | 3.69x |
| Sussex | 13 | 1.91x |
| Midlothian | 12 | 2.22x |
| Staffordshire | 11 | 0.81x |
| Essex | 10 | 1.25x |
| Herefordshire | 7 | 4.23x |
| Wiltshire | 7 | 1.96x |
| Brecknockshire | 6 | 7.43x |
| Cheshire | 6 | 0.67x |
| Lanarkshire | 6 | 0.46x |
| Lincolnshire | 6 | 0.93x |
| Suffolk | 6 | 1.22x |
| Hampshire | 5 | 0.60x |
| Warwickshire | 5 | 0.49x |
| Angus | 3 | 0.80x |
| Cornwall | 3 | 0.66x |
| Northumberland | 3 | 0.50x |
| Bedfordshire | 2 | 0.96x |
| Buckinghamshire | 2 | 0.82x |
| Cambridgeshire | 2 | 0.78x |
| Nottinghamshire | 2 | 0.37x |
| Pembrokeshire | 2 | 1.56x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 0.33x |
| Buteshire | 1 | 4.09x |
| Cardiganshire | 1 | 1.02x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 0.16x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.12x |
| Dunbartonshire | 1 | 0.92x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.13x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 0.36x |
| Inverness-shire | 1 | 0.83x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 0.22x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 0.40x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.15x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dudley in Worcestershire leads with 14 Reynolds recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.84x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Reynold surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth | 18 |
| Sarah | 17 |
| Mary | 16 |
| Jane | 10 |
| Emma | 8 |
| Alice | 6 |
| Ann | 6 |
| Eliza | 6 |
| Ellen | 6 |
| Hannah | 6 |
| Annie | 5 |
| Margaret | 5 |
| Florence | 4 |
| Harriet | 4 |
| Susan | 4 |
| Anne | 3 |
| Catherine | 3 |
| Kate | 3 |
| Louisa | 3 |
| Ada | 2 |
| Eleanor | 2 |
| Emily | 2 |
| Fanny | 2 |
| Frances | 2 |
| Lucy | 2 |
| Lydia | 2 |
| Rosa | 2 |
| Rosanna | 2 |
| Beatrice | 1 |
| Bertha | 1 |
| Carlow | 1 |
| Caroline | 1 |
| Carry | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Dorothy | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Eliz. | 1 |
| Elizab. | 1 |
| Elizh. | 1 |
| Ethal | 1 |
| Ethel | 1 |
| Georgina | 1 |
| Grace | 1 |
| Hanah | 1 |
| Hilda | 1 |
| Isabella | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| Louse | 1 |
| Lousia | 1 |
| Winifred | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Reynold surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| George | 20 |
| William | 20 |
| John | 18 |
| Thomas | 17 |
| James | 15 |
| Charles | 13 |
| Henry | 9 |
| Samuel | 8 |
| David | 6 |
| Arthur | 4 |
| Joseph | 4 |
| Alfred | 3 |
| Edward | 3 |
| Francis | 3 |
| Richard | 3 |
| Robert | 3 |
| Walter | 3 |
| Fredrick | 2 |
| Harry | 2 |
| Lewis | 2 |
| Thos. | 2 |
| Daniel | 1 |
| Ebenezer | 1 |
| Emmanuel | 1 |
| Ernest | 1 |
| Frederick | 1 |
| Fredk. | 1 |
| Geo. | 1 |
| Herbert | 1 |
| Horn | 1 |
| Infant | 1 |
| Isaah | 1 |
| Jacob | 1 |
| Job | 1 |
| Jonathan | 1 |
| Matthew | 1 |
| Michael | 1 |
| Nicholas | 1 |
| Obadiah | 1 |
| Paterick | 1 |
| Peter | 1 |
| Phillip | 1 |
| Reuben | 1 |
| Rufus | 1 |
| Sed... | 1 |
| Seden | 1 |
| Squire | 1 |
| Stephen | 1 |
| Tom | 1 |
| Wm. | 1 |
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Reynold households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 61 |
| Coal Miner | 8 |
| Domestic Servant | 8 |
| Ag Lab | 5 |
| Dressmaker | 4 |
| General Servant | 4 |
| Ag Labr | 3 |
| Brickmakers Lab | 3 |
| Labourer | 3 |
| Mill Hand (Worsted) | 3 |
| Nail Maker | 3 |
| None | 3 |
| Tailor | 3 |
| Ag Labourer | 2 |
| Butcher | 2 |
| Cardroom Hand (Cotton Mill) | 2 |
| Cook | 2 |
| Gen Serv | 2 |
| Haulier In Coal Works | 2 |
| Housekeeper | 2 |
| Joiner | 2 |
| Lab | 2 |
| Laundress | 2 |
| Mariner | 2 |
| Milliner | 2 |
| Painter | 2 |
| Pauper | 2 |
| Pupil Teacher | 2 |
| Sugar Boiler | 2 |
| Wire Worker | 2 |
| Agricultural Labour | 1 |
| Barmaid | 1 |
| Bottler At Soda Water Manufacturer | 1 |
| Box Maker | 1 |
| Bricklayer | 1 |
| Carman | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Cattle Dealer | 1 |
| Char Woman | 1 |
| Chef Cook (Dom) | 1 |
| Clerk Life Assurance | 1 |
| Corn Miller | 1 |
| Embroiderer | 1 |
| Engine Driver | 1 |
| Engine Fitter In Works | 1 |
| Errand Boy | 1 |
| Factory Hand | 1 |
| Farm Lab | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Worsted Weaver | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 412 people were recorded with the Reynold surname. That placed it at #7,814 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 85 in 2016. That gives Reynold a modern rank of #32,637.
A surname derived from the Old French personal name "Reinald", itself from the Germanic name "Raginald" meaning "counsel" and "power".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Reynold bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.