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Ren Family History

Ren Surname Meaning

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 任, a term for women's rank of peerage in ancient China. It is said that the surname can be traced back to one of the 25 sons of the legendary Huang Di, the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC).

Alternatively, it is derived from Ren (任), the name of an ancient state located in Renxian in Hebei province, granted to Yu Yang, said to be a son or grandson of Huang Di. His descendants adopted the name of the state as their surname.

Another origin of the surname is from Ren (任), the name of a state located in Shandong province during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).

English: variant of Renn. It is an altered form of the English name Wren, as well as an altered form of the German name Renn.

Swedish: the surname is a soldier's name derived from ren, meaning ‘reindeer’. It may also have Flemish origins, specifically from De Ren, as seen in the name Deren.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Ren family from?

You can see how Ren families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ren family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ren families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 15 Ren families living in London. This was about 19% of all the recorded Ren's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Ren families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ren surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Ren ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Ren. 100% of Ren women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Ren | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Ren family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 17,000 census records available for the last name Ren. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ren census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ren

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Ren. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ren immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 22,000 military records available for the last name Ren. For the veterans among your Ren ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Ren lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Ren life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1975. The average life expectancy for Ren in 1961 was 48, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ren

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ren ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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