I have been researching my RENTON roots for more than 40 years. Not content to stay in one place, my ancestors wandered through northern England before heading to Canada. A one name study (with its focus on global data) seemed to be a natural extension of my own research efforts. Phase 1 of my study (launched Sept. 2021) will focus on Renton families in Yorkshire and Northumberland.    

If you have RENTON ancestors (including those who wandered far from England), please contact me. I would love to hear their stories, add their details to my study and share whatever information I have that might help you with your research.

Variants include: Ranton, Rinton, Runton, Rainton

According to the Surname Database website, RENTON is a Scottish location surname, referring to a place called Renton in Coldingham parish, Berwickshire. It means settlement (ton) associated with Raegen or Rein.

• circa 1190: Ricardus de Reningtona (also recorded as Ricardus forestarius), Historial Manuscripts of Scotland. 
• 1325: John de Rainton or Rayneton, Berwick, burgess and collector of customs
• 1668: William Renton, (parents William and Elspeth Renton), christening at Cockburnspath, Berwickshire

Source:

"Last Name Renton." SurnameDB The Internet Surname Database, https://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Renton#:~:text=This%20ancient%20Scottish%20name%20is%20a%20locational%20surname,of%20Coldingham%2C%20in%20the%20former%20county%20of%20Berwickshire., Accessed 14 September 2021.

The largest concentration of RENTONs in England was in Yorkshire. As you can see, the numbers grew significantly from 1841 to the 1881 census:

For further information (and a clickable distribution map of England) please see the your-family-history.com website.