Surname Renfrey - Meaning and Origin
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Renfrey: What does the surname Renfrey mean?
The surname Renfrey is of English origin. It is derived from the old French personal name Renfroy. It is a composite of the elements "ragin", meaning counsel, and "frid", meaning peace. Therefore, the name can be interpreted as "peaceful counsel". It belonged to the category of names known as habitation names, where the names were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
The surname Renfrey was first found in Cornwall, where they held a family seat from ancient times. Many variations of the name Renfrey have been found, including Renfree, Renfry, Renfrey, Renfroe, and others. These variations in spelling often occurred, even between father and son. It was not uncommon for a person to be born with one spelling, get married with another, and have another on their headstone.
Like many surnames, the meaning of Renfrey could be subject to interpretation, as surnames often evolved based on a variety of factors including geographic location, occupation, and familial characteristics, among others. Overall, the surname Renfrey reflects the personal, geographic, and historical circumstances that contributed to its formation.
Order DNA origin analysisRenfrey: Where does the name Renfrey come from?
The last name Renfrey is most commonly found in Australia and New Zealand today. At the time of the 2018 Australian census, there were 946 people with the Renfrey surname, living in Australia. Renfrey is believed to have originated as a British surname, traceable to a family living in Cornwall, England as early as the 15th century.
The Renfrey last name is also found in New Zealand, where there are 581 people with that surname, as of 2019. Records indicate that the Renfrey family first arrived in New Zealand in the early 1840s. It is believed that the first immigrants were Henry and James Renfrey, sons of Phillip Renfrey from Treneglos, Cornwall, England.
Renfrey is a relatively uncommon name in largely Anglo-Saxon areas like the United States and parts of Britain, though there are some in these countries. In the U.S., there were only 68 people with this surname when data was last collected in 2014.
In short, the last name Renfrey is most commonly found today in Australia and New Zealand, with a few people scattered throughout other parts of the world. It has its roots in Britain, likely originating from a family that resided in Cornwall in the 15th century.
Variations of the surname Renfrey
The surname Renfrey is an English surname believed to be of local origin. This surname is thought to derive from a location in West Riding of Yorkshire, England. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Renfrey are variously spelled as Ranfee, Ranfey, Ranfi, Ranfye, Ranfye, Ranfy, Renfey, Renfey, Renfi and Renny.
The surname Ranfee is believed to have derived from a personal name derived from the Olde English pre 7th Century 'Ran' and the Latin 'fredus', which mean shield and peace respectively. Ranfee is thought to be a habitational name from a place near Northowram in West Yorkshire known as Ranfie or Ranfye.
The surname Ranfey is believed to have derived from the Olde English personal name Ranfey or Ranfea. The original form of this name was Radnefa, composed of the elements 'rad', meaning counsel or advice, and 'nefa', meaning relation or kin.
The variant spellings Ranfi and Renfey are thought to have originated from a location in East Riding of Yorkshire once known as Ravenfee or the fee of Raven.e
The surname Ranfye is an Anglicized medieval spelling derived from the Olde English personal name Ranfey or Ranfia. This name was composed of the elements ‘rad’, meaning counsel or advice, and ‘nef’, meaning kin.
The variants Ranfy and Renfey is thought to be derived from an Old Norse personal name The variants Renny and Renfi is derived from an Old French personal name 'Raimin', composed of the elements 'rian', meaning judge, and 'mound', meaning may.
In conclusion, the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Renfrey include Ranfee, Ranfey, Ranfi, Ranfye, Ranfy, Renfey, Renfi and Renny.
Famous people with the name Renfrey
- Kate Renfrey: Australian actress, best known for her roles in the films Paper Planes and Little Monsters.
- Rohan Renfrey: Australian football (soccer) player.
- Jeremy Renfrey: British rower who competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics.
- Suzy Renfrey: Canadian-American botanist.
- Hans Renfrey: American actor and voice actor.
- Peter Renfrey: Australian writer and TV producer.
- Tom Renfrey: English musician, composer and film-maker.
- Michelle Renfrey: French singer and voice actress.
- Annette Renfrey: English actress and broadcaster.
- Vanessa Renfrey: English actress and director.
- Madelaine Renfrey: Canadian application engineer.
- Isaac Renfrey: Canadian ice hockey player.
- Harry Renfrey: British track and field athlete.
- Sandra Renfrey: Australian fashion designer, model, and philanthropist.
- John Renfrey: British Anglican priest. 16.Fred Renfrey: Canadian politician.
- Gordon Renfrey: Canadian politician, lawyer and newspaper editor.
- David Renfrey: Australian novelist.
- Claire Renfrey: British economist and financial advisor.
- George Renfrey: British civil engineer and architect.