MCREYNOLDS
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Reynolds, Mcreynolds
The surname McReynolds is rooted in a confluence of Gaelic, Norse and Scottish heritage.
Origin – It is a patronymic name derived from the Gaelic “Mac Raghnaill,” which literally means “son of Raghnaill.” The personal name Raghnaill itself is a Gaelic rendition of the Old Norse “Rögnvaldr.” The Old Norse elements comprise rögn, meaning “advice” or “counsel,” and valdr, meaning “ruler” or “power.” Consequently, McReynolds can be interpreted as “son of the ruler’s advisor” or “son of the powerful ruler.”
In the medieval period the name appears in various forms across the British Isles. The earliest known mentions include John M'Ranald in Kintyre, Scotland, recorded in 1483, and John McRannells of County Tyrone, Ireland, noted in 1712. Documents such as the 1657 entry for Gorrif McCrannell in Derry Cathedral, during the reign of Oliver Cromwell, further illustrate the name’s presence in Ireland. These records reflect the influence of Norse‑Viking settlement, which extended through Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man and northern England between the eighth and eleventh centuries.
Variations – The surname has undergone orthographic change over the centuries. Common variants include Reynolds, MacRannell, MacReynold, MacRannel and Ronaldson (the latter derived from the given name Ronald). In Ireland the Gaelic “Mac Ragnaill” frequently became Reynolds, possibly due to linguistic influence from Spanish “Reinaldo.” In Scotland the form McReynolds remains the most prevalent variant. In contemporary times the name is widely distributed in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, and, owing to emigration, the United States, where over thirteen thousand people bear the name according to the latest census data.
As a patronymic surname, McReynolds conveys a sense of lineage linked to authority, wisdom and a divinely-abled ruler. It exemplifies how surnames can encapsulate cultural memory and the enduring impact of Norse interaction with Gaelic societies in the British Isles.
Typical given names associated with the McReynolds surname
Male
- Alexander
- Alister
- Anthony
- Brian
- David
- Gary
- James
- Jason
- John
- Paul
- Robert
- Sean
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Anne
- Carol
- Caroline
- Catherine
- Helen
- Julie
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Samantha
- Sharon
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname McReynolds in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 360 people named McReynolds in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around six in a million people in Britain are named McReynolds.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
