Reijnders

Reijnders is a Dutch and Frisian patronymic surname, commonly found in the Limburg region. It is a variant of Reinders, which itself derives from the given name Reindert, a Frisian form of Reynard. The ultimate root is the Germanic name Raginhard, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy".

Etymology

The name Reijnders is a patronymic meaning "son of Reinder". Reinder is a Dutch given name that is a variation of Reinier (from Saint Rainier) or sometimes a variant of Reinhard, which shares the same Germanic roots as Reynard. The Normans introduced the related name Reinard to England, though it never became common there. Interestingly, the medieval fable character Reynard the Fox led to the French word renard meaning "fox".

Variants and Distribution

The surname appears in several forms depending on region. In the Eastern Netherlands and adjacent areas of Germany, the form Reinders is more common. Other Frisian variants include Reynders and Rijnders. In French, the equivalent form is Renard.

Notable Bearers

Notable individuals bearing related forms include Didier Reynders (born 1958), Belgian politician; Henri Reynders (1903–1981), Belgian Roman Catholic priest and humanitarian; and Kamiel Reynders (born 1931), Belgian swimmer. In the arts, John Reynders (1888–1953) was a British musician and composer. The surname is also found in sports, such as Dutch footballer Martin Reynders (born 1972).