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![Show Contents]() Renfrye History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Scotland
The Renfrye surname is of local origin, derived from the town so called in Renfrewshire. Early Origins of the Renfrye familyThe surname Renfrye 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 Renfrye familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Renfrye research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1304, 1404, 1408 and 1772 are included under the topic Early Renfrye History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Renfrye Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Renfrew, Renfrye, Reynfrew, Rainfrew, Renfro, Renfroe and many more. Early Notables of the Renfrye familyMore information is included under the topic Early Renfrye Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Renfrye familySome of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Janet Renfrew, who settled in New York in 1774; James Renfrew, who was naturalized in Lancaster county Pennsylvania in 1802; John Renfrew, who was naturalized in Allegheny Co., PA in 1831.
- 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)
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