Arnold
A classic surname from the old personal name Arnold, meaning roughly “eagle ruler,” also sometimes linked to places named Arnold in England.
The #201 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 2,223 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Arnold comes from the old personal name Arnold, which was brought into England from continental Germanic usage. The name is usually explained as having elements meaning “eagle” and “power, rule,” so the literal sense is often given as “eagle ruler.” In English surname use, it could identify someone as the son or descendant of a man named Arnold, and in some cases it may also have been taken from places called Arnold.
History
The surname is long established in England, and medieval records show many spelling forms and shortenings. Some related surnames, such as Arnell, Arnott, and Arnall, were treated by older writers as variants or corruptions of Arnold. The name became widespread in Britain and later in the United States through ordinary English and European surname transmission.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname dictionaries also noted Arnold-derived forms like Yarnold, where an initial Y was added in some dialects.
From the historical record
“ARNISON. See Arney. ARNOLD. The personal name; also a parish in the county of Wilts. ARNOLL. ARNELL. ARNALL. AENULL. AEXOULD. Corruptions of Arnold. ARNOTT. ARNETT. Corruptions of Arnold. ARNULFE. The sanie as .Aa-nold, which”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Arnold
- Frances Arnold (b. 1956)
- Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)
- Vladimir Arnold (1937–2010)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.