Surname Renwick - Meaning and Origin

Renwick: What does the surname Renwick mean?

The surname Renwick is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from a place name. It is composed of two Old English elements: "hræfn," meaning "raven," and "wic," meaning "settlement, village, or dwelling." Therefore, the surname Renwick can be interpreted as "the raven settlement," possibly referring to a place where ravens were abundant. An alternative interpretation could be a settlement or dwelling of a person known as 'Raven'. It could also represent families have ancestral ties to areas named Renwick, such as the villages found in Cumbria and Northumberland in England. The surname has various spelling versions including Rainwick, Reynwick, Renwic, and others. Famous individuals with this name include architect James Renwick Jr., known for designing St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

Renwick: Where does the name Renwick come from?

The surname Renwick is a topographical surname derived from the old English words hrenne ('a badge; a home') and wic ('dwelling; a cluster of buildings'). It is most commonly found in Scotland, where it is the 27th most common surname, and in Northern England. In England, it is most concentrated in the city of Durham and the surrounding area, particularly the counties of Durham, Northumberland, and Cumbria.

The surname is also found in the United States, especially in states such as New York and Pennsylvania. Renwick is the 878th most common surname in the US and is primarily concentrated on the east coast. It is particularly common in Pennsylvania, where it is the 401st most common surname.

Over time, the spelling of Renwick has been altered in various ways. Some of the more common variants include Rennick, Rennocks, Renicks, and Renicks. It may also appear as Ranick, Runwick, Renwicke, Runick, ronwic, Renwic, and Ranwick in some cases. A variant of Renwick, Renner, is more common in America than in the UK.

Renwick is a relatively uncommon surname today, but it has deep roots in Scotland and Northern England. The variants have resulted in the name becoming more widespread, and it can be found in both the UK and the US.

Variations of the surname Renwick

Renwick is an English surname of Anglo-Saxon descent. The name Renwick is thought to originate from the Old English region of Englaland and may be related to the Old English word renwic meaning ‘country’, ‘shore’ or ‘settlement’, suggesting a person living near a coastal region or a river bank. Over the years, the surname has been spelled in a variety of ways, including Rainwick, Reneuick, Rennick, Rennix and Rawney.

In Scotland, the Gaelic spelling of Renwick is Rinnig, a derivative of the Middle Latin word rector, meaning ‘ruler’ or ‘governor’. It is most likely derived from the Old Irish word rince, meaning ‘king’.

In the United States, Renwick is quite common. Variants of the name in the US include Renick, Rennick, Renwick, and Rennix.

An interesting variant of the name is the Dutch surname Reijneke. The name Reijneke is derived from the Germanic elements Regin, a common name element in Germanic given names, and wic, meaning ‘market’ or ‘place of trade’.

Many of the variants of Renwick have their own genealogical meaning making them interesting to trace. Renwicks of the Dutch origin typically inhabited near the Netherlands, while those in America moved from the East Coast to the West Coast in the mid-1800s. Lastly, Renwicks of the Old English origin mostly inhabited the North and South parts of England.

In conclusion, Renwick is an Anglo-Saxon surname with variants including Rain wick, Rennick, Renneuick, Rennix and Reijneke. It is also related to the Gaelic spelling of Rinnig and is fairly common in the United States.

Famous people with the name Renwick

• Sir James Renwick (1790-1863): Scottish naval captain, known for his leadership in the Napoleonic Wars as part of the British Royal Navy.
• Angus Renwick (1877-1950): Scottish author, journalist, and socialist, responsible for some of the most influential works of the early 1900s, including 'The Political and Social Significance of the Labour Movement' and 'A Study of Socialist Principles'.
• David Renwick (1938–2006): British television writer and producer best known for creating and writing shows such as The Two of Us, One Foot in the Grave, and Jonathan Creek.
• Francis Renwick (1770–1840): American Methodist pastor and bishop, elected as a delegate to the first General Conference of the church in 1820.
• Emma Renwick (born 1994): Canadian actress and singer who has appeared in movies such as Monster Trucks and television shows such as Orphan Black.
• Bill Renwick (born 1947): American actor and stuntman who has appeared in numerous television shows and films, including The A-Team, The Karate Kid, The Tuxedo, and Beverly Hills Cop III.
• Reverend Thomas Renwick (1839–1900): Canadian Presbyterian minister and social progressive who served in both Ontario and British Columbia.
• Kenneth Renwick (born 1964): British businessman and entrepreneur who is the co-founder of several successful companies, including Wi-Fi provider Airwave Solutions and automaker I'm Riding Ltd.
• Ptolemy Renwick (born 1984): New Zealand film producer and director, best known for films such as his 2009 documentary Aotearoa and 2013 feature film Everything We Loved.

Other surnames

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Comments or additions to the name "Renwick"

31.03.2024
The surname is also found in Australia with a particular concentration in NSW. There is a town of Renwick in the South Island of New Zealand. The Renwick families in Australia and New Zealand are descendants of Scottish and English migrants.