Surname Renouf - Meaning and Origin
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Renouf: What does the surname Renouf mean?
The last name Renouf is of French origin. It is derived from the old French terms "renouf" or "renou", which refer to a rag, scrap, or strip of cloth. This name was often used as a nickname for rag pickers, individuals who earned their livelihood by scavenging and selling rags. The early notation of this surname can be traced back to the medieval era in France. Over the centuries, the surname has experienced various spelling modifications. Despite its humble origins, the Renouf name has been associated with significant individuals like mathematician Peter Renouf and archaeologist Peter le Page Renouf. However, like many surnames, the original occupational or familiar meaning has become less relevant to the contemporary bearers of the name.
Order DNA origin analysisRenouf: Where does the name Renouf come from?
The last name Renouf is a French moniker of Norman origin. As such, it has historically been most common in the Britanny region of France, where the Normans had spread to following the Norman conquest of England in 1066. In modern times, Renouf is still a fairly common surname in France, with approximately 5,500 individuals bearing the name in 2016.
Outside of France, Renouf can be found among both French-speaking and English-speaking individuals across the world. It is particularly common in Canada, where the name was likely carried to as a result of the French-Canadian diaspora. In 2018, there were over 700 individuals with the last name Renouf registered in Canada. The name can also be found among French- and English-speaking populations in the United States, Belgium, Australia, South Africa, England, and several other countries.
Variations of the surname Renouf
The Renouf surname has a few variants and alternate spellings depending on the origin of the family. In France, it is spelled Renou, with a final consonant of "f". In the UK, it is spelled Renouf or Renno, with a final consonant of "v" or "f". Additionally, some French-originating Renoufs spell their name Renouff, with a second "f" at the end.
Other surnames of the same origin include Rennu, Rennou, Rennoud, Renaud, Renaux, and Renaudin. All of these surnames have a base spelling of 'Ren-' or ‘Renou' and incorporate other letters for a variety of suffixes. For instance, the Spanish variant of this surname is Renovales, which is formed by adding the suffix “-ales.”
The Renouf surname is derived from the French verb renouer which has the root meaning of “to renew.” This means that the switch from Renou to Renouf is remarkable given that it changes the meaning of the name from renewal to “royal wolf.” It could be argued that Renouf was chosen by some families as an embellishment or translation of their ancestral name in attempt to create a more impressive or prestigious heritage.
The Renouf surname is originated in France and has roots from a variety of different regions. Although the base of the structure of the name is similar in most of these variants, the suffix used will vary depending on the branch of family and original language. As a result, the same surname can take on multiple forms like Renou, Renaud, Renaudin, Renouff, Renoux, Renovals or Renouf to name a few.
Famous people with the name Renouf
- John Renouf: Canadian hockey player
- Peter Renouf: Australian actor
- Guy Renouf: French football player
- Gianni Renouf: Italian actor
- George Renouf: English actor
- Ben Renouf: Australian TV director
- Michelle Renouf: Canadian model and actress
- Anne Renouf: French film actress
- Damien Renouf: Canadian voice actor
- Nicci Renouf: British bodybuilder