Find out how popular the last name Ramsden is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ramsden.

Ramsden, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Ramsden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ramsden in America

Ramsden is the 17586th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ramsden surname appeared 1,598 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Ramsden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ramsden to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Ramsden

The surname Ramsden is of English origin and is believed to have originated from a place name. The name is derived from the Old English words "ramm" meaning "ram" and "denu" meaning "valley" or "open space." It is thought to have been a topographic name given to someone who lived in a valley or open space frequented by rams.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Ramsden date back to the 13th century, with records showing individuals bearing this name in Yorkshire. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire from 1273, which lists a William de Ramesden.

In the Domesday Book, a manuscript recording landholdings and properties in England compiled in 1086, there are references to places that may have given rise to the surname Ramsden. These include Ramesden in Oxfordshire and Ramesdene in Lincolnshire.

Over the centuries, the surname Ramsden has been recorded with various spellings, such as Ramesden, Rammesden, and Ramysden, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

Notable individuals who have borne the surname Ramsden throughout history include:

1. Sir John Ramsden (1594-1646), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of York in 1644.
2. Jesse Ramsden (1735-1800), an English mathematician and instrument maker, renowned for his contributions to surveying and astronomical instruments.
3. William Ramsden (1806-1865), an English engineer and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the railway industry in the 19th century.
4. Edward Ramsden (1805-1893), an English artist and writer known for his landscapes and travel writings.
5. Sir John William Ramsden, 5th Baronet (1831-1914), a British landowner and philanthropist who served as Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

The surname Ramsden continues to be found predominantly in England, particularly in Yorkshire and the surrounding areas, reflecting its historical roots and origins from that region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ramsden

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ramsden.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ramsden was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Ramsden has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Ramsden was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ramsden, please contact us.

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