This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Renton.' Lower says, 'Renton, a small town in Dumbartonshire.' Probably some of our English-seeming Rentons hail from this place, but evidently, from the large number, not all.

Mathew de Renedon, or Reneton, Devon, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Robert de Reyndon, Warwickshire, ibid.

1802. Married — Robert Downham and Margaret Renton: St. George, Hanover Square.

From Renton in the parish of Coldingham, Rerwickshire, the "tun or town of Raegen or Rein, a shortened form of the Old English personal name Raegenweald. The Rentons of Renton were hereditary foresters of Coldingham in the reign of William the Lion, and Ricardus forestarius appears in record as Ricardus de Reningtona. In the fourteenth century the Rentons were an influential family of burgesses in Berwick (Home, 13). During the fifteenth century the family terminated in the direct line in a daughter who married Ellem of Ellemsford. Robert de Rentun witnessed a charter by Herbert, abbot of Kelso, c. 1225 (Kelso, p. 348). Symon of Rennyngton, burgess of Jedburgh, rendered homage in 1296 (Bain, II, p. 197). John de Raynton who had a charter of lands of Over Lamberton in 1323 (original charter quoted in Scots peerage, IV, p. 332) is probably the John de Rainton (Rayntoun, or Rayneton) who was burgess and customar of Berwick in 1325 and following years and c. 1332 received a charter of lands in Kirclambirton (HNCH., XVI, p. 323,330). David Rayntoun de Billy, witness in 1473, is probably the David Rantoun who appears in 1479 as attorney for David Hume of Wedderburn (RHM., II, 220; Home, 23). Isobel Renton was a religious of North Berwick in 1548 (CMN., 65), Thomas Rentoun rendered to Exchequer the accounts of the bailies of North Berwick in 1557 (ER., XIX, p. 7), and Archibald Rantoun was a notary public in 1561 (Home, 231). Raintown 1429, Ranton 1464, Rayntoune 1500, Rentoun and Rentoune 1431. Renton in the parish of Cardross, Dumbartonshire, was named from Cecilia Renton of Lammerton who married a Smollett of Bonhill. The town was founded in 1782 by Mrs. Smollett of Bonhill. Simeon of Durham (1, 80) tells us that the father of one of the bearers of the body of S. Cuthbert in its wanderings was Reingualdus "a quo ilia quam condiderat villa Reiningtun est appellata" (gu here is Norman French equivalent of id).

(English) belonging to 1 Renton (Berwick), A.D. 1098 Reguintun, c. 1200 Reningtona and Regnintun. There is evidently u-n confusion in these forms cited by the Rev. J. B. Johnston; and definiteness as to the origin of the first element is precluded.

2 Ranton (Staffs) (through pron. Rān-), 13th cent. Raunton, Ronton, Domesday Rantone [the first element is prob. the genit., rán, of Old English rá, a roe(-buck); less likely for Old English rand, a margin, edge:— + Old English tún, estate, etc.] 3 Rendon (? where). The place-names Renedon and Reyndon found in the Hundred-Rolls, and the occurrence of Randún (app, ‘Rá’s Hill’—O.E. rán, genit. of rá, a roe + dún, a hill) in 9th-cent. Southern charters, show that in some cases ‘Renton’ must be for ‘Rendon’ (cp. Repton).

Renton, Dumbartonshire, is a modern borrowed name.

A small town in Dumbartonshire.

A location name in Dumbarton. Or Rennington, Northumberland.

The Rentons possess the name of a town in Dumbartonshire and of seats in Berwickshire and Haddingtonshire.