2000
#7,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,124
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.53
Rare Last name
Renshaw
An English topographic surname denoting someone who lived near a row of houses or buildings, from "rean" meaning "row."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,613 Americans carry the last name Renshaw. That puts it at #7,913 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.35 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 74,302 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Renshaw surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Renshaw with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.6K
1 in 74,302
Census rank
#7,913
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,023 bearers of the surname Renshaw in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.35 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7913th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Renshaw, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Renshaw
The surname Renshaw has its origins in the northern counties of England, particularly Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is believed to have emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "ren" or "ryn," meaning a small stream or rivulet, and "sceaga," meaning a small wood or grove.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1379, where a John de Renshaw is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time and may have originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near a small stream or rivulet surrounded by a grove.
The Renshaw family is also believed to have had connections to various locations in Lancashire and Yorkshire, such as Renshaw in Leyland and Renshawholme in Ormskirk. These place names likely inspired or reinforced the surname's usage.
During the reign of King Henry VIII in the 16th century, a notable figure named Thomas Renshaw served as a courtier and diplomat. He was born around 1498 and died in 1555. Another early individual of note was John Renshaw, a clergyman who lived from 1625 to 1680 and served as the Rector of Standish in Lancashire.
In the 18th century, a prominent Renshaw family emerged in Liverpool, with several members becoming successful merchants and shipowners. One of the most notable figures from this family was Samuel Renshaw (1744-1811), a prominent shipowner and merchant who played a significant role in the growth of Liverpool's maritime trade.
Another famous bearer of the Renshaw surname was William Renshaw (1861-1904), a British tennis player who won seven major singles titles, including the Wimbledon Championships in 1888. His younger brother, Ernest Renshaw (1861-1899), was also a successful tennis player, winning the Wimbledon Championships in 1888 and 1889.
Throughout history, the Renshaw surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, including clergymen, merchants, shipowners, and athletes, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Renshaw
Among Census respondents with the surname Renshaw, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Renshaw bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Renshaw surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.1% · 3,586
- Two or more races4.5% · 182
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 141
- Black or African American1.6% · 66
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 31
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Renshaw
Renshaw appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,599
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,374
+250 bearers (+6.1%)
Per 100,000 1.48
Rank movement Down 156 places
2020
#7,913
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,023
-351 bearers (-8.0%)
Per 100,000 1.35
Rank movement Down 314 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,443 | 4,124 | 1.53 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,599 | 4,374 | 1.48 | +250 bearers (+6.1%) | Down 156 places |
| 2020 | #7,913 | 4,023 | 1.35 | -351 bearers (-8.0%) | Down 314 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Renshaw surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,599 | #7,913 | -4.1% |
| Count | 4,374 | 4,023 | -8.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.48 | 1.35 | -9.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Renshaw bearers went from 4,374 to 4,023 (-8.0% change). The surname moved down 314 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,599 to #7,913.
FAQ
Renshaw surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Renshaw?
Name Census estimates that about 4,613 living Americans carry the surname Renshaw. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 74,302 residents.
How common is Renshaw?
Renshaw ranks #7,913 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.35 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,023 people with the surname Renshaw. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,613), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.35 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.35 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Renshaw.
Has Renshaw become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Renshaw went from 4,374 recorded bearers to 4,023. That is a decrease of 351 (-8.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,599 to #7,913.
What does the Census say about the background of Renshaw?
Among Census respondents with the surname Renshaw, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Hispanic (3.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Renshaw in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.1% (3,586 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Renshaw appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.1%), Two or More Races (4.5%), Hispanic (3.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Renshaw (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Renshaw mean?
An English topographic surname denoting someone who lived near a row of houses or buildings, from "rean" meaning "row." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Renshaw (1.35 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Renshaw?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.