Surname Reynders - Meaning and Origin
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Reynders: What does the surname Reynders mean?
The last name Reynders is a Dutch and Belgian surname that has variants such as Rainders, Rinders, Raynders, Rainers and Reiners. It derives from the Old High German word "regin" which means “counselor” or “advisor” and indicates a family of wise and learned people. In the 1600s and 1700s, it was common in the Netherlands for people to take the name of the profession they practiced, and the early bearers of the Reynders surname likely were legal advisors or magistrates.
The earliest recorded usage of the name dates to 1713 in the city of Rotterdam, where Johann Reynders, a sculptor, was recorded. Other people with the Reynders surname can be found in 19th-century records for Holland, Belgium, Germany, and the United States.
The Reynders surname is fairly common in the Low Countries and other areas of Europe, but rare in the UK, USA, and other English-speaking countries. Today people with the Reynders surname live all throughout the world, from Amsterdam to France, Spain, Greece, Australia, and Canada.
The spelling and pronunciation of the surname may have changed over time, but the meaning remains the same, indicating a wise and learned family. People with the Reynders surname are proud to carry on this legacy.
Order DNA origin analysisReynders: Where does the name Reynders come from?
The surname Reynders is most common today in Belgium and its neighbouring countries. Many people with this surname live in Western Europe, particularly in the Netherlands, France and Luxembourg. There are also people with this surname in Germany, Austria, Poland and Italy.
The last name Reynders has its origins in Low German, being derived from the words "rainer" or "rayner", which were names used by Germanic people. The exact meaning of the name is uncertain, but it was used by medieval nobility to indicate a person with a high status or position in society.
The Reynders surname has been in existence since medieval times and the earliest known record of the name is from 1202 in the city of Nijmegen, Netherlands. Over the centuries, the surname has spread across Western Europe, and is now found all over the world including the United States.
The name is still quite common in the Low Countries region of Continental Europe, though it has become increasingly less popular in modern times. The last name is still quite widespread around the world, however, and is an important part of the heritage of many families.
Variations of the surname Reynders
Reynders is an old Dutch surname which originated in the Netherlands. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include: Reinders, Reinder, Reinderd, Reinderts, Reinderz, Rinders, Rinder, Reinhard, Reinhart, Reinert, Reynard, Reynolds, Reinardt, Renard, Ginger, Rynhart, Reynert and Rynders.
Reinders, Reinder, Reinderd, and Reinderts all originated as a nickname of Reinder, which is derived from the Dutch name Reijnier which means 'ruler of the house'. Reinderz is also derived from the Dutch name Reijnier.
Rinders, Rinder, Reinhard, Reinhart, Reinert, Reynard, Reynolds, Reinardt, Renard and Rynhart are German and Dutch spellings of the surname, all derived from the Germanic name Reinhardt, which means 'brave advice'.
Ginger is an anglicized version of the name Reynard, which is a French surname derived from the Germanic name Reinhard, which means 'brave advice'. Reynert is an ossified Dutch and German form of the name Reijnier and Rynders is the modern Dutch spelling of the surname.
Famous people with the name Reynders
- Maggie De Block: Belgian politician, current Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health in the Michel Government since 2014.
- Mark Reynders: Dutch singer, part of the popular pop duo ‘M & G’ together with Geertje Gort.
- Ben Reynders: Belgian actor, known for his roles in TV series such as ‘Vrijstaat O’, ‘Ver Mist’ and ‘Stille Waters’.
- Herman Reynders: Belgian artist, specializing in religious art, stained glass windows and sculptures.
- Andrée Reynders: Belgian painter specializing in still lifes, landscapes and seascapes.
- Sébastien Reynders: Belgian composer, conductor and musician, best known for his compositions for the KVS Theatre in Brussels.
- Gilles Reynders: Belgian filmmaker, known for his feature films ‘Illusions’, ‘Les Remparts de Silence’ and ‘L’Homme de l’Eglise’.
- Willem Reynders: Dutch architect, collector and connoisseur, best known for his eclectic and historical reconstruction of the city of Delft.
- Désirée Reynders: Belgian opera singer, known for her performances in the Paris Opera and The Hague’s Royal Theatre.
- Philippe Reynders: Belgian physicist and researcher, responsible for various studies and publications on the physics of laser medicine and biophotonics.