NameCensus.

UK surname

Rennie

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "bracken" or "fern," likely referring to someone who lived near such plants.

In the 1881 census there were 5,261 people recorded with the Rennie surname, ranking it #846 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,079, ranked #818, up from #846 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Aberdeen and Old Machar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Longside and Rattray, Newton Stewart and Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rennie is 8,157 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.6%.

1881 census count

5,261

Ranked #846

Modern count

8,079

2016, ranked #818

Peak year

2010

8,157 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rennie had 5,261 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #846 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,079 in 2016, ranked #818.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,678 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Rennie surname distribution map

The map shows where the Rennie surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Rennie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rennie over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 2,665 #1,110
1861 historical 3,053 #946
1881 historical 5,261 #846
1891 historical 5,626 #836
1901 historical 6,678 #826
1911 historical 1,468 #3,285
1997 modern 7,674 #838
1998 modern 7,915 #847
1999 modern 7,885 #856
2000 modern 7,900 #847
2001 modern 7,706 #851
2002 modern 7,895 #850
2003 modern 7,703 #852
2004 modern 7,733 #842
2005 modern 7,750 #826
2006 modern 7,738 #827
2007 modern 7,832 #825
2008 modern 7,926 #816
2009 modern 8,070 #826
2010 modern 8,157 #835
2011 modern 7,923 #850
2012 modern 7,765 #851
2013 modern 7,924 #843
2014 modern 8,062 #831
2015 modern 8,033 #825
2016 modern 8,079 #818

Geography

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Where Rennies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Old Machar, Glasgow and Dunfermline. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Longside and Rattray, Newton Stewart, Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields, Auchnagatt and Dyce. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Dunfermline Fife

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Longside and Rattray Aberdeenshire
2 Newton Stewart Dumfries and Galloway
3 Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields South Ayrshire
4 Auchnagatt Aberdeenshire
5 Dyce Aberdeen City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rennie

These lists show first names that appear often with the Rennie surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rennie

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rennie, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Rennie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Rennie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rennie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rennie is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rennie falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rennie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Rennie, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rennie

The surname Rennie is believed to have originated in Scotland, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is thought to be a variant of the name Renny, which itself is derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "ranaich," meaning a fern or bracken. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near an area abundant with ferns or bracken.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rennie can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a series of parchment rolls from the late 13th century that documented homages rendered to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and clergy. The name appears in various spellings, such as Renny and Rany, in these historical records.

The Rennie surname is also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Rennieston, a village in East Lothian, and Renniehill, a settlement in Haddingtonshire. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the Rennie name who inhabited or owned land in these areas.

Among the notable historical figures bearing the Rennie surname is John Rennie (1761-1821), a renowned Scottish civil engineer and architect. He was responsible for designing and constructing numerous bridges, canals, and other significant infrastructure projects across Britain and Ireland. Another prominent Rennie was John Rennie the Younger (1794-1874), who followed in his father's footsteps as a civil engineer and worked on notable projects like the construction of London Bridge.

Other historical figures with the Rennie surname include James Rennie (1787-1867), a Scottish naturalist and writer; William Rennie (1872-1949), a Scottish golfer and winner of the Open Championship in 1914; and Thomas Rennie (1828-1904), a Canadian politician and businessman who served as the Mayor of Hamilton, Ontario.

The Rennie name has a rich history spanning centuries, with its origins rooted in the Scottish landscape and its bearers making significant contributions in various fields, from engineering and architecture to science and politics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rennie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rennie surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Aberdeenshire leads with 1,049 Rennies recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.20x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 1,049 22.20x
Lanarkshire 847 5.13x
Midlothian 464 6.79x
Stirlingshire 321 17.06x
Angus 307 6.49x
Lancashire 257 0.42x
Ayrshire 212 5.55x
Renfrewshire 181 4.58x
Dunbartonshire 174 12.69x
Wigtownshire 146 21.55x
Fife 138 4.57x
Middlesex 111 0.22x
Banffshire 100 9.45x
Durham 72 0.47x
Yorkshire 70 0.14x
Kincardineshire 68 10.94x
Perthshire 59 2.58x
Kent 55 0.32x
Cumberland 45 1.02x
West Lothian 45 5.86x
Surrey 44 0.18x
East Lothian 41 6.07x
Clackmannanshire 33 7.83x
Kirkcudbrightshire 32 4.33x
Northumberland 31 0.41x
Morayshire 26 3.28x
Argyllshire 23 1.62x
Hampshire 23 0.22x
Inverness-shire 19 1.25x
Peeblesshire 19 7.92x
Westmorland 17 1.52x
Roxburghshire 16 1.73x
Kinross-shire 14 10.85x
Sussex 14 0.16x
Worcestershire 12 0.18x
Norfolk 11 0.14x
Warwickshire 11 0.09x
Berkshire 10 0.26x
Hertfordshire 10 0.28x
Gloucestershire 9 0.09x
Lincolnshire 9 0.11x
Cheshire 8 0.07x
Dumfriesshire 7 0.62x
Monmouthshire 7 0.19x
Berwickshire 6 0.97x
Denbighshire 6 0.31x
Essex 6 0.06x
Nairnshire 6 3.85x
Ross-shire 6 0.43x
Selkirkshire 5 1.08x
Buteshire 4 1.29x
Derbyshire 3 0.04x
Isle of Man 3 0.32x
Staffordshire 3 0.02x
Orkney 2 0.36x
Royal Navy 2 0.33x
Shropshire 2 0.05x
Somerset 2 0.02x
Wiltshire 2 0.04x
Devon 1 0.01x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.01x
Oxfordshire 1 0.03x
Suffolk 1 0.02x
Sutherland 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 211 Rennies recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.67x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 211 7.67x
Glasgow 202 6.89x
Aberdeen Old Machar 192 19.46x
Barony 181 4.33x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 160 18.10x
Govan 154 3.77x
Dunfermline 90 19.38x
Falkirk 90 20.43x
Dundee 80 4.53x
Alva 68 75.76x
Oldham 68 3.48x
Peterhead 60 24.01x
Hamilton 50 10.86x
West Greenock 49 6.90x
Fyvie 47 60.94x
South Leith 46 5.98x
Liff Benvie 39 5.43x
Longside 39 69.10x
St Vigeans 38 14.89x
Cruden 36 59.15x
Kirkcolm 34 104.71x
Pitsligo 34 75.27x
Old Deer 33 36.85x
Bonhill 32 14.54x
East Greenock 32 8.57x
Cumbernauld 30 39.93x
Maybole 30 25.80x
Meldrum 30 75.36x
Rutherglen 30 12.39x
West Calder 30 22.27x
Dalmellington 29 25.82x
Everton 29 1.50x
Forfar 29 11.33x
Polmont 29 41.74x
Maryhill 27 8.36x
Bothwell 26 5.81x
Newhills 26 26.87x
Row 26 14.66x
Tyrie 26 43.83x
Dailly 25 64.18x
New Monkland 25 5.12x
Fraserburgh 24 18.04x
Old Kilpatrick 24 14.81x
Old Monkland 23 3.51x
Tillicoultry 23 24.53x
Ellon 22 33.85x
Kilsyth 22 18.33x
Kintore 22 53.57x
Paisley High Church 22 6.99x
Abbey 21 3.48x
Cardross 21 12.76x
Keith 21 18.61x
Sorbie 21 70.90x
St Ninians 21 11.26x
Stirling 21 8.85x
New Machar 19 71.56x
Aberdour 18 48.34x
Folkestone 18 5.33x
Penninghame 18 26.05x
Bothkennar 17 30.27x
Islington London 17 0.34x
Kilwinning 17 13.79x
Kirkintilloch 17 9.13x
Newton On Ayr 17 14.86x
Shotts 17 8.61x
Tarves 17 38.03x
Belhelvie 16 49.52x
Girvan 16 16.69x
Inverness 16 4.17x
Kirkmabreck 16 49.54x
Abbotshall 15 13.29x
Bathgate 15 8.99x
Dalserf 15 9.11x
Inch 15 22.71x
Liverpool 15 0.41x
Manchester 15 0.55x
Nigg 15 29.18x
Salford 15 0.84x
St George Hanover 15 2.25x
Strichen 15 36.52x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Rennie surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 56
Elizabeth 32
Jane 30
Margaret 25
Sarah 23
Ann 20
Annie 18
Isabella 17
Agnes 11
Eliza 9
Ellen 9
Catherine 7
Emma 7
Janet 7
Louisa 7
Emily 6
Hannah 6
Alice 5
Maggie 5
Martha 5
Charlotte 4
Edith 4
Harriet 4
Helen 4
Ada 3
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Eleanor 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Kate 3
Margt. 3
Susan 3
Barbara 2
Beatrice 2
Bessie 2
Clara 2
Dora 2
Elizth. 2
Emmerline 2
Ethel 2
Euphemia 2
Florence 2
Jannet 2
Jessie 2
Judith 2
Mabel 2
Marie 2
Nancy 2
Ruth 2

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Rennie surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 78
William 61
James 56
Robert 19
Thomas 18
Alexander 17
George 14
Charles 10
Joseph 8
Alfred 6
Arthur 6
Richard 6
Walter 6
David 5
Ernest 5
Francis 5
Alexr. 4
Edward 4
Henry 4
Samuel 4
Andrew 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Jno. 3
Albert 2
Archibald 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Gordon 2
Harold 2
Herbert 2
Hiram 2
Jas. 2
Percival 2
Peter 2
Roderick 2
Saml. 2
Thos. 2
Ward 2
Willm. 2
Chalmers 1
Covesley 1
Cuthbert 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Henery 1
Nelson 1
Patrick 1
Renald 1
Wm.Chas. 1

FAQ

Rennie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rennie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,261 people were recorded with the Rennie surname. That placed it at #846 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rennie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,079 in 2016. That gives Rennie a modern rank of #818.

What does the Rennie surname mean?

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "bracken" or "fern," likely referring to someone who lived near such plants.

What does the Rennie map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rennie bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.