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

Renz, 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 Renz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Renz in America

Renz is the 10278th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Renz surname appeared 3,137 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Renz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Renz 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.

The history of the last name Renz

The surname Renz has its origins in Germany, where it first appeared in the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "renz," which means "boundary" or "border." This suggests that the name was originally used to identify someone who lived near a boundary or border area.

The earliest known record of the Renz surname dates back to 1389 in the city of Augsburg, where a man named Heinrich Renz was mentioned in a local register. Another early reference can be found in the town of Memmingen, where a family with the name Renz is recorded in the 15th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Renz began to spread across various regions of Germany, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was Johannes Renz (1493-1548), a German theologian and reformer who worked alongside Martin Luther during the Protestant Reformation.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Renz surname appeared in various parts of southern Germany, including Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. It was also found in the Swiss cantons of Basel and Zürich, suggesting that some bearers of the name may have migrated to Switzerland during this period.

One notable Renz from the 18th century was Johann Georg Renz (1720-1790), a German painter and engraver who was known for his religious and allegorical works. Another individual of note was Johann Jakob Renz (1760-1813), a German Catholic priest and writer who authored several theological works.

As the 19th century dawned, the Renz surname continued to be prevalent in various parts of Germany and Switzerland. One prominent figure from this era was Wilhelm Renz (1849-1923), a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Reichstag (the German parliament) from 1890 to 1912.

Throughout its history, the Renz surname has also been associated with various place names and older spellings. For example, the town of Renzen in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate is believed to have derived its name from the Renz family, who may have been among its earliest settlers.

While the Renz surname has a rich history spanning several centuries, it is important to note that this information is based on historical records and may not reflect the current distribution or prominence of the name in modern times.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Renz

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

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 Renz was:

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 Renz has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Renz was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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