Show ContentsRenny History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Renny

What does the name Renny mean?

The first people to use the name Renny were a family of Strathclyde-Britons who lived in the Scottish/English Borderlands. The name comes from when someone 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 Renny family

The surname Renny 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 Renny family

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

Renny Spelling Variations

Surnames that evolved in Scotland in the Middle Ages often appear under many spelling variations. These are due to the practice of spelling according to sound in the era before dictionaries had standardized the English language. Renny has appeared as Rayney, Rainy, Rainey, Rainnie, Rennie, Renny and many more.

Early Notables of the Renny family

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

Migration of the Renny family to Ireland

Some of the Renny 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.


Renny migration to the United States +

The North American colonies beckoned, with their ample land and opportunity as their freedom from the persecution suffered by so many Clan families back home. Many Scots even fought against England in the American War of Independence to gain this freedom. Recently, clan societies have allowed the ancestors of these brave Scottish settlers to rediscover their familial roots. Among them:

Renny Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Renny, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 5
Renny Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Robert Renny, who arrived in Virginia in 1764 5
Renny Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jules J B Renny, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1897 5

Renny migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Renny Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Alexander Renny, British settler travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Renny (post 1700) +

  • George Alexander Renny (1825-1887), English Major-General Royal Artillery, son of Alexander Renny, an English merchant
  • Renny Harlin (b. 1959), Finnish film director and producer and 5-time recipient of the famous Golden RaspBerry Award for worst film directing


  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. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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