Surname Rendell - Meaning and Origin
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Rendell: What does the surname Rendell mean?
The surname Rendell is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is generally believed to be a patronymic name, meaning “son of Reynold” or “son of Rendel.” The name Reynold itself is composed of the Germanic elements "ragin," meaning counsel, and "wald," meaning rule, power or leader. It was a popular given name during the Middle Ages in England. Over time and with linguistic changes, different variations such as Rendell, Randell, and Reynolds have evolved. Like many surnames, over centuries, Rendell has had different spellings in different regions. As a surname, it could also possibly be topographic, referring to someone who lived at the edge of a settlement or region. The distribution of the surname Rendell is predominantly found in the United Kingdom, specifically in South West England.
Order DNA origin analysisRendell: Where does the name Rendell come from?
The last name Rendell is commonly found in English-speaking countries today, particularly the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and the United States.
In the United Kingdom, Rendell is the 12,707th most common surname, with records of its existence dating as far back as 1386 when it is speculated to have first appeared in County Durham. In Canada, it appears to be most common in Ontario, where the name appears at a frequency of 114.4 people per million population, making it one of the 1000 most common surnames in the province.
In Australia, Rendell is the 205th most common surname, and records of its existence go as far back as 1832. The highest concentration of Rendells is found in New South Wales (NSW) where the name is distributed at a frequency of 94.9 people per million population.
In the United States, it is the 23,793rd most common surname. It is relatively rare in the United States compared to the other English-speaking countries, however, it is the 47th most common surname in the state of Virginia with a frequency of 144.9 people per million population.
Given its presence in numerous English-speaking countries around the world, it is safe to say that the last name Rendell is relatively common today.
Variations of the surname Rendell
Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Rendell include Ran(d)all, Randall, Rendall, R(h)endell, Rendle, and Rendleman. All of these surnames can be traced back to a medieval given name, Reynold or Reginald.
The surname Rendell can be traced to the Old Germanic first name Reginald or Reynold, which has its roots in the words 'regin' meaning ‘rule’ and 'wald’ meaning 'rule’. The combination of these words forms the name which meant 'counselor' or 'ruler’. This name was popularized during the Middle Ages when England was ruled by the Normans. It was most popular in England, Scotland, and Wales and the variants and spellings were used interchangeably.
R(h)endall is the most common variant of the name Rendell and is believed to be a shortened and simplified version of the name. It has been used in regions of the United States as well as Scotland, Ireland, and England.
Rendleman is the most rare variant of the surname. This variant of the name was Americanized in Southern Pennsylvania, where the name was simplified from ‘Rendelleman’. There is also an original settlement in the same region that can be traced back to the Rendel family.
Thus, the variants, spellings, and surnames derived from the name Rendell are varied in the way they are pronounced, spelled, and used in different regions. However, all of them have the same root in the Medieval name of Reynold or Reginald, making them all variants of the same origin.
Famous people with the name Rendell
- Ed Rendell: Governor of Pennsylvania (2003–2011) and Mayor of Philadelphia (1992–2000).
- Ruth Rendell: English crime writer famous for her Inspector Wexford series.
- John Rendell: American actor, currently portraying Miles in the series Now Apocalypse.
- Ann Rendell: British director best known for her documentaries about the resurgence of Islam and other social issues in the Middle East.
- Don Rendell: English jazz saxophonist and composer, often credited as a pioneer of the British jazz scene in the 1950s-1980s.
- Barbara Rendell: Canadian politician and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, representing the riding of Edmonton-Meadowlark for the NDP party.
- Eric Rendell: American stunt coordinator and producer most known for his work on the films The Hunger Games (2012), Iron Man 2 (2010) and Tomorrowland (2015).
- Johnny Rendell: English former professional footballer who was with Leyton Orient and Lincoln City during his career.
- Zelda Rendell: British actress and model, known for her roles in the TV show Billions and the film Cold Comes the Night (2013).
- Gordon Rendell: Australian composer and pianist, and one of the founding members of the Australian Art Orchestra.