Régnier

Régnier is a French surname. It derives from the medieval given name Regnier (also rendered Reginier), which is of Germanic origin and generally linked to notions of power or rulership. As a hereditary name, Régnier appears in medieval charters across France and nearby regions, where bearers may have been knights, clerics, or landholders who adopted their given name as a family name. Spelling varied by era and locale, and related forms include Regnier, Renier, and Reinier.

In modern times, the surname is most common in France, with smaller populations in Belgium and among francophone communities in Canada, reflecting historical migration and settlement. It is part of a broader family of related surnames that arose from medieval given names and later became established as hereditary names.

Notable bearers are cited in historical and genealogical sources, including medieval charters and clerical records, as well as contemporary biographies and genealogies listing individuals named Régnier. The name is also encountered in place-names and provincial toponyms, reflecting its long usage in Francophone regions.

See also Regnier, Renier, Reinier.