The name "Rendall" was and probably is the most common name in Westray. In 1871 there  were 294 Rendalls living in the island when the population was over 2000. In the year  1231 Kolbein Rendall was living in Orkney. He was no doubt a descendant of the viking  Rendalls who had taken over Orkney in the previous centuries. On the mainland island  of Orkney there is a parish by the same name. Rendalls were recorded in Westray in  medieval times. It is very difficult and well nigh impossible to connect the various  Rendall families before 1745 or even later as no records exist for a crofting  community. In WESTRAY ROOTS issue 24, the adminstrator of this website has endeavoured  to survey the Rendall families to which he is related. In subsequent issues - 45 and  later - he researches other Rendall families and finds that few seem to be related to  his Rendall lines. No doubt there would have been a common ancestor. When in Norway  one year it was discovered that there are Rendall place names. It might be conjectured  that vikings originating in these places gave the name to the parish in Orney and took  the patronic name Rendall for themselves.