Recorded in many forms as shown below, this interesting surname is usually English. It has two origins. The first is from the given name "Randel", a diminutive of the personal name "Rande", to which was added the Norman French diminutive suffix "-el"; meaning little. This translates as Little Rand or more likely son of Rande. Rande meaning shield, was a first element in other pre 7th century Anglo-Saxon and Germanic compound personal names, such as Randolph, Randwulf and Randulf. The personal name was first recorded as Randal, in the assize court rolls of the county of Yorkshire, England, in the year 1204, whilst in Scotland possibly the first surname recording is that of Harry Randell, of Orkney, in 1436. The modern surname can be found in many spellings including Randal, Randals, Randall, Randale, Randales, Randell, Randle, Randles, Randol, Randoll, Rendall, Rendell, Rendle. Amongst the many interesting recordings of the surname is that of William Randall. He was the first of the surname to emigrate to the colonies of America, leaving the port of London on the ship "Expectacon", for the Island of Providence, in the West Indies, in April 1635. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Randel. This was dated 1250, in the tax registers known as the "Feet of Fines", during the reign of King Henry 111rd of England, 1216 - 1272. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.