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Renfrew Family History

Renfrew Name Meaning

Scottish (Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire): habitational name from Renfrew (Renfrewshire) named with a British term cognate with Welsh rhynfrwd ‘point of current’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Frew, Renfrow, Rentfrow, Renfro, Renshaw, Renfroe, Rehrer, Benfer

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Renfrew family from?

You can see how Renfrew families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Renfrew family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Renfrew families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 21 Renfrew families living in Ontario. This was about 81% of all the recorded Renfrew's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Renfrew families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Renfrew surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Renfrew ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Renfrew. 59% of Renfrew men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Renfrew women worked as a Student. .

View Census Data for Renfrew | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    59%
  • Clerk
    25%
  • Labourer
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Renfrew family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Renfrew. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Renfrew census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Renfrew

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Renfrew. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Renfrew immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Renfrew. For the veterans among your Renfrew ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Renfrew military records

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What is the average Renfrew lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Renfrew life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1981. The average life expectancy for Renfrew in 1943 was 41, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Renfrew

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