Contents [hide]

Renwick History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Renwick History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Renwick is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from a family once having lived in the region of Renwick beside the Eden river in Cumberland. Renwick 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 Renwick family

The surname Renwick 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 Renwick family

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

Renwick Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Renwick has been recorded under many different variations, including Renwick, Rennick and others.

Early Notables of the Renwick 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 v...
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 reward of £100 was offered to...

Renwick Ranking

In the United States, the name Renwick is the 10,994^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Renwick family to Ireland

Some of the Renwick 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.

Renwick migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Renwick or a variant listed above:

Renwick Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Renwick was banished to New Jersey in 1685
John Renwick, who arrived in Perth Amboy, NJ in 1685 2

Renwick Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jane Renwick, who landed in New York in 1809 2
Adam Renwick, aged 18, who arrived in New York in 1812 2
George Renwick, aged 58, who landed in New York in 1812 2
James Renwick, who arrived in America in 1840 2
Walter Renwick, who arrived in New York in 1840 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Renwick migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Renwick Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Renwick, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 20th January 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3
Mr. James Renwick, English convict who was convicted in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 27th August 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 4
Martha Renwick, aged 18, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "James Fernie" 5
Margaret Renwick, aged 22, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "James Fernie" 5

Renwick 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:

Renwick Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Renwick, aged 24, a surgeon, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Thomas Harrison" in 1842
Dr. Thomas Renwick, (b. 1818), aged 24, British ships surgeon travelling from London aboard the ship "Thomas Harrison" arriving in Nelson, South Island, New Zealand on 28th October 1842 6
Robert Renwick, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857
Rebecca Renwick, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857
George Renwick, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Renwick (post 1700) +

Edward Francis Renwick (1938-2020), American political scientist, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Loyola University New Orleans
James Renwick Jr., (1818-1895), American architect, best known for designing the Smithsonian Institution Building, Washington, DC and St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York
William Renwick, American politician, Member of North Dakota State Senate 1st District, 1929- 7
Walter N. Renwick, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 43rd District, 1914 7
Robert J. Renwick, American politician, Postmaster at Ithaca, New York, 1821 7
John Renwick, American politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives, 1850-53 7
James Renwick, American politician, Mayor of Davenport, Iowa, 1869 7
George W. Renwick, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Elgin, Illinois, 1853-54, 1856-61; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1884 7
George Renwick, American politician, Supervisor of Northfield Township, Michigan, 1872-75 7
Dianne T. Renwick, American Democratic Party politician, Justice of New York Supreme Court 12th District; Elected 2001 7
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
South Australian Register Friday 17th November 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) James Fernie 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/jamesfernie1854.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html