Find out how popular the last name Reynard is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Reynard.

Reynard, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Reynard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reynard in America

Reynard is the 24012th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reynard surname appeared 1,050 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Reynard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reynard to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Reynard

The surname Reynard originates from France, where it first appeared in the early medieval period. The name is derived from the Old French word "reinard," meaning "fox," which itself comes from the Germanic name "Reginhart." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with fox-like qualities or characteristics.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Reynard is found in a 12th-century French satirical poem, "Roman de Renart," which features a trickster fox named Renart as the central character. This literary work played a significant role in popularizing the name and its association with cunning and sly behavior.

The Reynard surname can be traced back to various regions of France, including Normandy, Brittany, and Picardy. It is also found in early records from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as tax rolls and land grants, though specific examples are scarce due to the age of these documents.

One notable individual with the surname Reynard was Jean Reynard, a French ecclesiastic and diplomat who lived in the 15th century (c. 1415-1487). He served as the ambassador of King Louis XI to the Holy Roman Empire and played a crucial role in negotiations between France and the empire.

Another prominent figure was Jacques Reynard, a French scholar and historian who lived in the 16th century (c. 1530-1599). He is known for his work on the history of Burgundy and his contributions to early modern historiography.

In England, the Reynard surname appeared as early as the 13th century, likely brought by Norman settlers after the Norman Conquest in 1066. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Roger Reynard, a landowner mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1191.

During the late medieval and early modern periods, the Reynard surname was also associated with place names in England, such as Reynard's Cross in Wiltshire and Reynard's Hall in Essex. These place names may have derived from individuals with the Reynard surname who owned or lived in those locations.

Another notable individual with this surname was Sir John Reynard (c. 1480-1544), an English politician and Member of Parliament who served under King Henry VIII. He was involved in the dissolution of the monasteries and acquired several monastic lands during this period.

In the 17th century, the Reynard surname gained prominence in the Netherlands, where it was spelled as "Reijnard" or "Reinard." One significant figure was Pieter Reijnard (1665-1736), a Dutch painter and engraver known for his landscape paintings and etchings.

While the Reynard surname has its roots in France and the medieval period, it has since spread to various parts of Europe and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making contributions in various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reynard

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Reynard.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Reynard was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Reynard has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Reynard was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Reynard, please contact us.

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