RENWICK
Renwick is a surname of antiquarian origin, principally found in the British Isles. It is a locational name which, like many other surnames, arose when a person was identified by his place of residence.
The earliest documented form of the name is Rauenwich, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Cumberland in 1178. This form is believed to derive from the Old English elements hrafn, meaning “raven”, and wic, meaning a farm or settlement. Thus the name was originally interpreted as “raven farm” or “the settlement on the river Raven”, the latter often being a dark‑water river that ran through the area.
Subsequent etymological studies suggest an alternative derivation in which the personal name Regenweald, meaning “counselor” or “adviser”, is combined with wic, giving the sense of a “dweller at the counsellor’s settlement”. This form is consonant with other Old English locational surnames that incorporate a personal name with a settlement suffix.
In Scotland the surname is common, ranking as the twenty‑seventh most frequent name. The name is especially concentrated in the counties of Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria, and in the surrounding towns. A number of early births and marriages bear the name: for example, the christening of Emms Renwick in 1704 at St.Olave's in Southwark, London, and the marriage of James Renwick to Grace Halfpenny in 1709 at St.Mary's in Lewisham.
Variants of the surname include Rennick, Rennock, Renick, Renicks, Runwick, Renwicke and, in Dutch contexts, Reijneke. These forms illustrate the natural phonetic shifts that occur over centuries, yet all share the same philological root.
Although the name remains relatively uncommon today, its distribution extends beyond the United Kingdom. In the United States, it is particularly frequent on the east coast, with a notable presence in Pennsylvania where it ranks four‑hundred‑first in commonality. Renwick name bearers have also settled in Australia and New Zealand, in places such as New South Wales and the South Island, respectively, as descendants of English and Scottish migrants.
Typical given names associated with the Renwick surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Brian
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- William
Female
- Ann
- Anne
- Catherine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Renwick in...
Braille
⠗⠑⠝⠺⠊⠉⠅
Morse
.-..-..--..-.-.-.-
Semaphore
There are approximately 4,144 people named Renwick in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,249th most common surname in Britain. Around 64 in a million people in Britain are named Renwick.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Renwick
- David Renwick - Screenwriter
- Michael Renwick - Scottish football player and manager
- Robin Renwick, Baron Renwick of Clifton - Diplomat
- Jim Renwick - Scottish rugby union player
- William Renwick - Scottish rugby union player (1914 to 1944)
- Robert Renwick - Swimmer, Olympic athlete, world champion, Commonwealth Games gold medallist
- Sir George Renwick, 1st Baronet - Politician (1850 to 1931)
- James Renwick - Scottish minister (1662 to 1688)
- Dick Renwick - Football player
- George Renwick - Australian rules football player (1886 to 1945)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.