Where does “Renfrewshire” come from?

Renfrewshire is an English place name derived from Renfrew, a town in Scotland whose etymology remains uncertain.

Renfrewshire (English): merged into Strathclyde region in 1975

Definitions

  1. merged into Strathclyde region in 1975

Ancestry of “Renfrewshire”, step by step

Renfrewshire traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English shire

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshirePhysical area administered by a sheriff; Former...
2Middle EnglishschireAlternative form of shire; Alternative form of...
3Old Englishsċīrbright; shire; county
4Old Englishburnastream
5Proto-West Germanicbrunnōwell, spring
6Proto-Germanicbrunnôsource; wellspring; fountain; brook; stream;...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰréh₁wr̥well, spring, source
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrewh₁-to boil; to brew
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry

via English Renfrew

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishRenfrewhistorically it was the county town of Renfrewshire OS grid ref NS5067
2Scottish GaelicRinn Friù—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰrewh₁- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰréh₁wr̥ →