Reniewack History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Reniewack first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in the region of Renwick beside the Eden river in Cumberland. Reniewack is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.

Early Origins of the Reniewack family

The surname Reniewack was first found in Cumberland where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Reniewack family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Reniewack research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1585, 1662, 1676, 1685, 1687 and 1688 are included under the topic Early Reniewack History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Reniewack Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Reniewack has appeared include Renwick, Rennick and others.

Early Notables of the Reniewack family

Distinguished members of the family include James Renwick (1662-1688), a Scottish minister, the last of the Covenanter martyrs, sentenced to die by hanging. He was the youngest child of Andrew Renwick (d. 1 Feb. 1676), a weaver, born near the village of Moniaive in the parish of Glencairn, Dumfriesshire. Several previous children had died in infancy; James received the careful training of an only child. Renwick refused to join the insurrection of 1685 under Archibald Campbell, ninth earl of Argyll. On 18 Oct., 1687, a...
Another 85 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Reniewack Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Reniewack family to Ireland

Some of the Reniewack family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Reniewack family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Reniewack arrived in North America very early: Samuel Renick settled in Philadelphia in 1804; John Renwick was banished to New Jersey in 1685; Francis, James and William Renwick arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..