Show ContentsRenney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In ancient Scotland, Renney was a Strathclyde-Briton name for someone who lived in De Reiney, or Rigny, in Champagne, France. "Hagebert de Rigneio, in 1101, witnessed a charter of the Bishop of Tulle, and may have been the same that possessed lands in Essex in 1086 [1] Roger de Reigny witnessed a charter of Bishop Roger of Sarum, temp. Hen. I., and Robert de Reigny held five fees in Devon in 1165." [2] Newton-Reigny, in the Forest of Inglewood, was their seat in Cumberland. [3]

Early Origins of the Renney family

The surname Renney was first found in Angus (Gaelic: Aonghas), part of the Tayside region of northeastern Scotland, and present day Council Area of Angus, formerly known as Forfar or Forfarshire.

"The Ranys or Rennys were extensive owners of land in the district of Craig in Angus from the middle of the fifteenth century, and the Rennies of Usan were recognized as an old family. Symon Renny was bailie of Inverkeithing in 1362. John Rayny, pelliparius, was burgess of Stirling in 1436." [4]

Early History of the Renney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Renney research. Another 187 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1402, 1409, 1526, 1572, 1592, 1798 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Renney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Renney Spelling Variations

Prior to the first dictionaries, scribes spelled words according to sound. This, and the fact that Scottish names were repeatedly translated from Gaelic to English and back, contributed to the enormous number of spelling variations in Scottish names. Renney has been spelled Rayney, Rainy, Rainey, Rainnie, Rennie, Renny and many more.

Early Notables of the Renney family

More information is included under the topic Early Renney Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Renney family to Ireland

Some of the Renney family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 124 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Renney migration to the United States +

In such difficult times, the difficulties of raising the money to cross the Atlantic to North America did not seem so large compared to the problems of keeping a family together in Scotland. It was a journey well worth the cost, since it was rewarded with land and freedom the Scots could not find at home. The American War of Independence solidified that freedom, and many of those settlers went on to play important parts in the forging of a great nation. Among them:

Renney Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Renney, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 [5]
Renney Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • David Renney, aged 20, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1775 [5]
Renney Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Edward Renney, who landed in America in 1811 [5]
Renney Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • James Renney, aged 27, who immigrated to America from Cleator Moor, in 1904
  • Annie Renney, aged 16, who immigrated to the United States from Rosecommon, in 1905
  • John Renney, aged 18, who landed in America from Belfast, Ireland, in 1907
  • Mabel Jane Renney, aged 32, who immigrated to the United States from London, in 1907
  • Mary Renney, aged 33, who landed in America, in 1910
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Renney migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Renney Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Renney, aged 40 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Covenanter" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 [6]

West Indies Renney migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [7]
Renney Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • John Renney, who settled in Barbados in 1679 with his son and servants

Contemporary Notables of the name Renney (post 1700) +

  • Thomas Renney (b. 1955), Canadian Head Coach for the Edmonton Oilers
  • James Renney D.D. (d. 1894), English bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church in England


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  3. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
  4. 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)
  5. 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)
  6. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 53)
  7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies


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