The Wren surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,211 people carried this name — #3,220 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 26,300 people counted. That is up 4% from 10,743 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Wren surname

A surname transferred from the nickname.

Originally a nickname, from Middle English wrenne (“wren”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Wren» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

An early record he cites: Alice Wrenn, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Wren and Wrenn.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 830 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 12 births for the Wren name in 1890.

Most were registered in Munster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 500 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Munster 10
Connacht 1
Leinster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

20 people named Wren is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 20

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Wren was found among the farmers of Sussex: 18 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent. His list gives one count for the spellings Wren and Wrenn.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Sussex 18

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

50 families named Wren, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 257 people lived in those households, 5.1 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 3 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Virginia 28
North Carolina 10
Pennsylvania 6
Maryland 3
South Carolina 3

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 269 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Wren in American newspapers,
1886–1922.

Newspaper page from St. Tammany Farmer carrying the name Wren
St. Tammany Farmer 1886-06-19
Newspaper page from The St. Charles Herald carrying the name Wren
The St. Charles Herald 1922-06-17
Newspaper page from St. Tammany Farmer carrying the name Wren
St. Tammany Farmer 1901-07-20

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 2,996 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Wren in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

64,680 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wren. The most, 16,341, date from the 1910s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Victoria, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 22,770
Victoria 18,705
Queensland 9,556
South Australia 5,960
Western Australia 4,322
Tasmania 3,077
ACT (Canberra) 169
Northern Territory 78

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wren.

Who carried it

People named Wren,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Eliza Wren Bates
    Eliza Wren Bates d. 1908 · stage actor
  • Christopher Wren
    Christopher Wren 1589–1658 · priest
  • Christopher Wren
    Christopher Wren 1632–1723 · astronomer
  • Christopher Wren
    Christopher Wren 1632–1723 · astronomer
  • Theodosia Anne Martha Wren d. 1842
  • Joseph Wren d. 1820

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Wren,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,257 records

1,257 records of the Wren name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 350
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 308
  • Other U.S. records 599
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Clyde H. Wren

    Born 1915 in Oklahoma. Enlisted 1946 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; hatchery worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War; died 1996, buried at Fort Smith National Cemetery, Arkansas.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Ann Wren

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 21; servant. From South Wales, England; bound for Illinois.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Carlton Alton Wren

    Born 1931; from Parksville, South Carolina. U.S. Marine Corps; killed in action 1952 in Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,257 records for Wren in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia723 records

723 records of the Wren name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 433
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 114
  • Other Australian records 176
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Thomas Wren

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Henry, arriving 1823; certificate of freedom 1829.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Charles Wren

    Arrived in Queensland in 1926 aboard the Largs Bay, aged 6.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Mervyn Stanley Wren

    Orchardist of Invergordon, Victoria; died 1966.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 723 records for Wren in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada60 records

60 records of the Wren name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 32
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 8
  • Other Canadian records 20
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Susan Wren

    Came to Ontario in 1872 aboard the Corinthian, landing at Portland, bound for Collingwood, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Florence Galetta Wren

    Buried in 1992 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 92.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Maurice Wren

    Died 1867 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 60 records for Wren in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom24 records

24 records of the Wren name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 19
  • Stirling Council burial records 3
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jessie Florence Wren

    Died 1955, aged 48; buried at Balfron Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizth Wren

    Buried in 1827 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 34.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record R. E. Wren

    Coldstream Guards. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 24 records for Wren in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand19 records

19 records of the Wren name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 15
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Valentine Wren

    Died 1934, aged 41; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Alfred Wren

    Buried in 1964 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 87.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edna Wren

    Died 1930, aged 30; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 19 records for Wren in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands4 records

4 records of the Wren name in the Netherlands Dutch population registers
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Helen Gove Wren

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born in 's-Gravenhage.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Fred Montell Wren

    In a population register.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Fred Montelle Wren

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born 1900 in Sherman.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Wren in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Wren.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Wren.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Wren is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Wren volume
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