Renault is a French surname derived from the Old Germanic personal name Raginwald — composed of ragin (counsel, wisdom) and wald (rule). Introduced by the Franks and further spread by the Normans, it was common in medieval France as both a baptismal name and — through the patronymic tradition — as a hereditary surname. Today it is best known internationally through the automobile company, but as a surname it has deep medieval roots across northern France.
Where the Renault Name Is Found
NormandyÎle-de-FranceChampagneQuebec
History and Origins
The name Raginwald entered French through the Germanic-speaking Frankish nobility in the early medieval period, becoming Reynaud, Renaud, or Renault in various regional forms. It was a prestigious name — borne by the legendary paladin Renaud de Montauban (hero of the chansons de geste) and by counts and lords across the medieval French nobility. By the thirteenth century it was crystallising as a hereditary surname in Normandy, Champagne, and the Île-de-France.
The Renault Variants
The surname appears in multiple related forms across France: Renaud (more common in central and southern France), Renault (northern France, particularly Normandy), Reynolds (English form from the same Germanic root), and Reinhold (German). In Quebec and the French-Canadian diaspora, both Renaud and Renault appear, reflecting the dual spelling tradition that existed even in the original Norman settlers' home regions.
From Medieval Knight to Modern Industry
The Renault name's most famous modern association is with Louis Renault (1877–1944), whose automobile company — founded in Boulogne-Billancourt in 1899 — became one of France's great industrial enterprises. The Renault automobile remains one of the most internationally recognised French brands, giving the medieval surname global visibility.
The French Diaspora
Renault (and the related Renaud) are established in Quebec from the founding generation of New France. The PRDH at Université de Montréal and the Drouin Collection are primary resources. The Fichier Origine traces Quebec Renault/Renaud families primarily to Normandy, Champagne, and the Île-de-France.
From Quebec, Renault families spread through the nineteenth-century French-Canadian emigration to New England and Ontario. The name is also found in Louisiana from French colonial settlement, and in Belgium and French-speaking Switzerland. In the United States, the name often appears anglicised as Reynolds or Renner in immigration records — always search the original French form alongside anglicised variants.
How to Research Renault Ancestry
Search both Renault and Renaud alongside each other — these are spelling variants of the same name in French records. For Quebec, use the PRDH at Université de Montréal. In France, focus on Normandy (especially Seine-Maritime and Calvados) and Champagne (Marne, Aube). French civil registration begins 1792. Note that Reynolds is the English form of the same name — if ancestors anglicised their name in immigration records, search Reynolds too. The Fichier Origine traces Quebec settlers to their Norman or Champenois parishes of origin.
Notable Renault Families
- Louis Renault (1877–1944) — French industrialist and automobile pioneer, founder of the Renault automobile company in 1899. One of the most consequential French industrialists of the twentieth century, whose company shaped modern French manufacturing.
- Louis Renault (1843–1918) — French jurist and professor at the University of Paris, one of the founders of modern international law. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1907 — the only jurist to win it — for his work on arbitration and the Hague Conventions.
- Renaud de Montauban (legendary) — The great paladin and hero of the medieval chanson de geste cycle, who rebelled against Charlemagne alongside his brothers and his magical horse Bayard. One of the most beloved figures of French medieval epic literature, whose name is the ancestral form of the Renault surname.
- Madeleine Renaud (1900–1994) — French actress and co-founder of the Renaud-Barrault theatre company with her husband Jean-Louis Barrault. One of the great figures of twentieth-century French theatre.
Related French Surnames
Often found in the same regions and emigration records: