Show ContentsRenison History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Renison was first used in the Scottish/English Borderlands by an ancient Scottish people called the Strathclyde-Britons. It was a 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 Renison family

The surname Renison 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 Renison family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Renison 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 Renison History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Renison Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were hardly exact sciences in Medieval Scotland. Sound, rather than any set of rules, was the basis for spellings, so one name was often spelled different ways even within a single document. Spelling variations are thus an extremely common occurrence in Medieval Scottish names. Renison has been spelled Rayney, Rainy, Rainey, Rainnie, Rennie, Renny and many more.

Early Notables of the Renison family

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

Migration of the Renison family to Ireland

Some of the Renison 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.

Migration of the Renison family

Such hard times forced many to leave their homeland in search of opportunity across the Atlantic. Many of these families settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. The ancestors of many of these families have rediscovered their roots in the 20th century through the establishment of Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Among them: Luke Rainy who settled in Virginia in 1679; Johnston Rainey who settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1763; followed by James Rainey in 1767.


Contemporary Notables of the name Renison (post 1700) +

  • R. Renison, American politician, Mayor of Salinas, California, 1900-07 5
  • Herbert R. Renison, American politician, Mayor of Westbury, New York, 1947-51 5


  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. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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