Rentfrow last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Rentfrow is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Rentfrow.

Meaning of Rentfrow

An occupational surname derived from the Middle English words "rente" and "frowe," referring to a rent collector or tax gatherer.

Rentfrow, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Rentfrow surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rentfrow in America

Rentfrow is the 37029th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rentfrow surname appeared 603 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Rentfrow.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rentfrow to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 37029 39824 -7.27%
Count 603 519 14.97%
Proportion per 100k 0.20 0.19 5.13%

The history of the last name Rentfrow

The surname Rentfrow is of English origin, originating in the county of Yorkshire during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "renting" and "frōh," meaning "rent" and "frog" respectively, suggesting it may have been an occupational name for a rent collector or a person who lived near a frog-inhabited area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1301, which mentions a Thomas Rentfrough. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also contain a reference to a Hugo Rentefrogh, indicating the name's presence in the region during the 13th century.

Throughout the centuries, the name underwent various spellings, including Rentefrogh, Rentfrough, and Rentfroughe, reflecting the inconsistencies in written English at the time. These variations can be found in various historical records, such as parish registers and court rolls.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name was William Rentfrow (1505-1580), a merchant and landowner from the village of Kettlewell in Yorkshire. He was known for his extensive property holdings and involvement in local affairs.

Another prominent individual was Robert Rentfrow (1638-1712), a clergyman who served as the Rector of Bradfield in Yorkshire. He was known for his scholarly works and contributions to the local community.

During the 18th century, the Rentfrow family established themselves in the county of Derbyshire, where a branch of the family resided at Calke Abbey. John Rentfrow (1721-1803) was a notable figure from this line, serving as a magistrate and landowner in the region.

In the 19th century, the Rentfrow name appeared in various parts of England, including London and the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Derbyshire. One notable figure was Charles Rentfrow (1843-1905), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Bradford, Yorkshire, who made significant contributions to local charities and institutions.

Throughout its history, the Rentfrow surname has been associated with various occupations, including merchants, clergymen, landowners, and businessmen, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those bearing the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rentfrow

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Rentfrow.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Rentfrow was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 91.38% 551
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 2.99% 18
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.00% 6
Hispanic Origin 3.98% 24

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Rentfrow has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 91.38% 94.41% -3.26%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 2.99% 2.12% 34.05%
Two or More Races 1.00% 1.16% -14.81%
Hispanic 3.98% 2.12% 60.98%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Rentfrow was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Rentfrow, please contact us.

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"Rentfrow last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 8, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/rentfrow-surname-popularity/.

"Rentfrow last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/rentfrow-surname-popularity/. Accessed 8 June, 2025

Rentfrow last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/rentfrow-surname-popularity/.

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