Contents [hide]

Renfrew History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Renfrew History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of Renfrew

What does the name Renfrew mean?

The Renfrew surname is of local origin, derived from the town so called in Renfrewshire.

Early Origins of the Renfrew family

The surname Renfrew was first found in Renfrew, a parish, burgh, and market-town, in the Upper ward of Renfrewshire. 1 "This place appears to have derived its name and signifies "a point of land in the midst of the waters," from the situation of the ancient town near the conflux of the rivers Clyde and Gryfe, which, before they were confined to their present channels, almost surrounded its site; and the appellation was subsequently given to the parish, and also to the county. The origin of the town may be justly attributed to the family of the Stuarts, afterwards kings of Scotland, to whose ancestor, Walter, the adjacent territory was granted by David I., who appointed him steward of the royal household, and invested him with many honours. The town gradually rose up around the castle of Renfrew, which was erected on one of the numerous islands which at that time divided the channel of the Clyde, for the residence of the lord of the manor; and this isle, since the accession of the Stuarts to the crown, has been distinguished by the name of the King's Inch." 2

Some of the first records of the family include: "Adam de Reynfru of the county of Edeneburk [who] rendered homage in 1296 [to King Edward I of England], and Robert Reynreu or Reynfru, a Scots prisoner of war from Stirling, [who] was incarcerated in the Castle of Old Sarum between 1304-1307. Galfridus Renfrew appears in Aberdeen, 1408. Bartholomew Renfrew appears as a charter witness in Glasgow in 1481. Robert Renfrew in Abbey parish, Paisley, 1772." 3

Early History of the Renfrew family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Renfrew research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1304, 1404, 1408 and 1772 are included under the topic Early Renfrew History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Renfrew Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Renfrew, Renfrye, Reynfrew, Rainfrew, Renfro, Renfroe and many more.

Early Notables of the Renfrew family

Notable among the family at this time was

the Renfrew family of Scotland

Renfrew migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Renfrew Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Janet Renfrew, who settled in New York in 1774
Jennet Renfrew, aged 17, who arrived in New York in 1774 4

Renfrew Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Renfrew, who was naturalized in Lancaster county Pennsylvania in 1802
John Renfrew, who was naturalized in Allegheny Co. Pennsylvania in 1831
John Renfrew, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1837 4
Clara Renfrew, who settled in Vermont sometime between 1861 and 1909

Renfrew migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Renfrew Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Robert Renfrew, who was on record in the census of Ontario, Canada of 1871

Renfrew migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Renfrew Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Peter Renfrew, (b. 1821), aged 20, Cornish labourer travelling aboard the ship "Ferguson" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 15th January 1841 5
Mr. Thomas Renfrew, (b. 1818), aged 36, Cornish carpenter departing from Plymouth on 21st May 1854 aboard the ship "Nestor" arriving in Portland, Victoria, Australia on 16th September 1854 6
Mrs. Elizabeth Renfrew, (b. 1819), aged 35, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 21st May 1854 aboard the ship "Nestor" arriving in Portland, Victoria, Australia on 16th September 1854 6
Mr. Cyprian Renfrew, (b. 1843), aged 11, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 21st May 1854 aboard the ship "Nestor" arriving in Portland, Victoria, Australia on 16th September 1854 6
Miss Jane Renfrew, (b. 1847), aged 7, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 21st May 1854 aboard the ship "Nestor" arriving in Portland, Victoria, Australia on 16th September 1854 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Renfrew migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Renfrew Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss A. Renfrew, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Egmont" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th June 1858 7
John Renfrew, aged 26, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cartvale" in 1874
Christina Renfrew, aged 20, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cartvale" in 1874
Alexander Renfrew, aged 16, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cartvale" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Renfrew (post 1700) +

Charles Byron Renfrew (1928-2017), American jurist, 18th United States Deputy Attorney General (1980-1981), Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California (1971-1980)
Malcolm MacKenzie Renfrew (b. 1910), American polymer chemist, inventor, and professor emeritus at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho
James Renfrew, American politician, Candidate in primary for Circuit Judge in Michigan 6th Circuit, 1959 8
Charles W. Renfrew, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State Senate 16th District, 1970 8
Charles W. Renfrew, American politician, Mayor of Birmingham, Michigan, 1955-56 8
Andrew Colin Renfrew (1937-2024), Baron Renfrew of Kaimsthorn, English archaeologist
George Richard Renfrew, Canadian co-founder of Henderson, Renfrew & Co in 1860 which later became Holt Renfrew, one of Canada's most prestigious chain of upscale clothers
Nelson Renfrew Park (1890-1979), American politician, U.S. Consul in Callao-Lima, 1926; Ceiba, 1927-30; Torreon, 1930-37; Barranquilla, 1937-42; Matamoros, 1942-44; Barcelona, 1944-48; U.S. Consul General in Kingston, 1948-50 9

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, May 30). Ships' Passenger Lists of Arrivals in New South Wales on (1828 - 1842, 1848 - 1849) [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1838_on.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_victoria.pdf
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html