Reynolds Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Reynolds Family History

Reynolds Family History

The family history of the ancient name Reynolds was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Meaning 'son of Reynold', variants of Reynolds include Reynold, Reynoldson, McRannall and Grannell. This name is of Anglo-Norman descent spreading to Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts in the above countries. Examples of such are a John Reynold, Cambridge, a Roger filius Reynald, Oxford, and a William filius Reynaud, Cambridge, who were recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273 and a Rainaldus Willelmi who was recorded in the 'Poll Tax' of the West Riding of Yorkshire, in the year 1379. In Ireland this sept hails from Leitrim, their territory being Muintir Eolais in the Southern part of the country. They remained very prominent up to the end of the seventeenth century in spite of great rivalry with the O'Rourkes, their Breffny neighbours. The Chief of the name was Magranill of Mounish, in Leitrim. Leitrim is still the principal stronghold of the name. The main variants of the name in Ireland are McRannall and Grannell.The Reynolds family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Reynolds descendants.