This English place-name is a compound containing the surname Randall. The relatively early historical examples, coupled with the townland’s location in the southern barony of Forth, indicate that the name is most likely of Anglo-Norman origin.

Randall is derived from a pet-form of Randolph (see Reaney, 1970 p.267). Although it is unattested in early Wexford records, a ‘John Rendale’ is found among the Anglo-Normans in Waterford (CJR Edw.I ii p.520). The Waterford townland name Ballyrandle/Baile an Randalaigh contains a gaelicised form of the surname (see logainm.ie).

The same surname is also apparently the eponym of Randalstown in Meath (*c.*1540 ‘Randalston’, Ir. Mon. Poss. p.112) [also referred to in 1541 as ‘Rendulffeston’ CPCR (Morrin) 161, demonstrating the connection with Randolph stated above]. In contrast, Randlestown in Antrim is derived from an anglicisation of the first name of Raghnall Mac Dónaill (Randal MacDonnell) (see McKay, 1999 p.123).

The Irish form here is a translation based on Ballyrandle/Baile an Randalaigh in Waterford. (Cf. RANDALSMILL (#53723), par. Tikillin)

[There is no reason to believe that this place-name is from Old Norse ‘Ragnaldr-staðr’, as recently suggested ([details to be added]). The surname Randall is attested among the Anglo-Normans in Ireland and Randalstown, a place-name of the standard Anglo-Norman construction ‘surname + (ə)s + -town’, could have been coined at any point after their arrival. In the absence of unambiguous evidence to indicate earlier derivation it would clearly be methodologically unsound to infer Norse settlement from such a name.]

[Excerpt from Logainmneacha na hÉireann IV: Townland Names of County Wexford, 2016, with additional material in square brackets [ ].]