Scotland
IrelandRennay was first used as a surname in the Scottish/English Borderlands by the Strathclyde-Briton. The first Rennay family 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]
The surname Rennay 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]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rennay research. Another 187 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1526, 1572, 1592, 1798, 1402, 1409 and are included under the topic Early Rennay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Medieval Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. This is due to the fact that scribes in that era spelled according to the sound of words, rather than any set of rules. Rennay has been spelled Rayney, Rainy, Rainey, Rainnie, Rennie, Renny and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Rennay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Rennay family to IrelandSome of the Rennay 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.
Many Scots were left with few options other than to leave their homeland for the colonies across the Atlantic. Some of these families fought to defend their newfound freedom in the American War of Independence. Others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these families have recently been able to rediscover their roots through Clan societies and other 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.
