I'm Soooooo confused.... which isn't really astonishing....

[Emmnemms]

Hey
So... bare with me, i will attempt to make this understandable, but what 17 year old is understandable at the best of times?

Alright, so I have started researching my heritage (Renfrew, but changed to Renfro when they entered the u.s.a or at least thats what i was told) the past little bit, and finding very little, or what i do find i can't really understand.... I'm not sure if i am looking in the wrong places or just very easily confused.

Any ideas on where to start, or if you know anything, it would be greatly appreciated!

[Woot22]

I always post this link when these type of question come up because I think it is pretty cool website so try your name here.
http://worldnames.publicprofiler.org/Main.aspx
I actually typed it in with both spellings and it kind of affirms what you are saying. That Renfrew comes up mainly in Scotland and Renfro seems to be predominantly American. Perhaps due to a change to the spelling to the surname on arrival which was not an uncommon affair.

[Tartan Tess]

What great fun woot22
Thank You

[Woot22]

What great fun woot22
Thank You

You're welcome, someone else a few years ago was the first to post this link here but I have since passed it on to lots of people, it is pretty fun to play around with.

[ctbuchanan]

The Surnames Database is also helpful with the origins of names

http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/renfrew

The Scottish Register of Tartans shows a Renfrew tartan here

http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tar....aspx?ref=3498

You are right not to worry about the spelling. There are literally hundreds of variations for every name.

I think it's great that you are learning about your Scottish heritage... but be careful it can be addicting :-)

[Emmnemms]

Thanks! Its confusing since i don't really have much to go on due to the fact my grandfather died (who carried the surname) and my grandmother lives rather far away. I would love to research the other side of my family as well, but my grandmother grew up in an orphanage so much was lost

Oh well, for the present i will bide my time learning much about the Renfrew. My graduation present is actually to tour ireland, england, and scotland (including renfrewshire) for 4 week

[BoldHighlander]

Thanks! Its confusing since i don't really have much to go on due to the fact my grandfather died (who carried the surname) and my grandmother lives rather far away. I would love to research the other side of my family as well, but my grandmother grew up in an orphanage so much was lost

Oh well, for the present i will bide my time learning much about the Renfrew. My graduation present is actually to tour ireland, england, and scotland (including renfrewshire) for 4 week

Do you have a copy of your grandfather's death certificate? It's a good place to start. I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but genealogy is really a lot of working backwards.

Have any of your relatives (aunt's, uncle's etc) done any genealogy? Do any family have information to share? Ask around, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Just remember, there will be times when the search is bleak & the trail cold, and you wonder why your wasting your time, and then you stumble onto a nugget of family history that turns out to be a real gem....or you have an avalanche of info hit you at once. In the end, it is worth the effort.

Best of luck & good hunting!

[robbiethepiper]

www.ancestry.co.uk is the place to visit once you have traced things back to this side of the pond. Contains birth death and marriage certificates and census records back to about1850. Before that it gets harder....

[Mark E.]

Hello, Kinsman! My lines go back to the Pogues of Renfrewshire...Not sure if this will help, but it seems you have gotten the Garbled Island treatment. If when your folks came across from the old country they couldn't pronounce your name, they assigned you with a place name for a last name. I have encountered quite a few Glasgows and Perths, for example. They did the same with trade names-i.e. "Lead Beater" became "Ledbetter", Thatcher or Wright...similar.

Mark

[Mike in Dayton]

That is a very cool tool. I looked up all the names in the family and it confirmed what I knew. I was concerned that when I put in my name it might show I was not from this planet. Not to worry, the name is found in Europe so I guess I am ok.

Mike