2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ramsower
A surname derived from a place name, possibly related to a meadow or field where rams grazed.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Ramsower. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ramsower surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Ramsower in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ramsower, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ramsower
The surname Ramsower originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the German words "ram" (meaning "ram" or "male sheep") and "sauer" (meaning "sour" or "acidic"). This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone involved in sheep farming or the production of fermented foods or beverages.
One of the earliest known bearers of this surname was Hans Ramsower, a farmer from the village of Schönau in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. Records from the late 1500s indicate that he owned a sizable flock of sheep and was known for producing high-quality cheese and other dairy products.
In the 17th century, the name appeared in several church records and tax rolls throughout southwestern Germany, particularly in the areas around Heidelberg and Mannheim. One notable individual from this period was Johann Ramsower (1632-1705), a vintner who established a successful winery in the village of Neustadt an der Weinstraße.
As the Ramsower family spread throughout Germany and beyond, the spelling of the name evolved slightly. Variations such as Ramsouer, Ramsauher, and Ramsauer appeared in various records over the centuries. One of the earliest instances of the Ramsower spelling can be found in the birth record of Maria Ramsower (1721-1798), born in the town of Worms.
In the 19th century, several members of the Ramsower family migrated to the United States and other parts of the world. One such individual was Johann Ramsower (1804-1882), who settled in Pennsylvania and became a prominent farmer and community leader. Another was Wilhelm Ramsower (1831-1912), who emigrated to Australia and established a successful sheep farm in the outback.
Other notable bearers of the Ramsower surname include:
1. Gerhard Ramsower (1875-1951), a German-born engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the Panama Canal.
2. Emilie Ramsower (1888-1976), an Austrian artist known for her vibrant landscape paintings.
3. Hans Ramsower (1901-1985), a German-American physicist who contributed to the development of nuclear technology.
4. Ingrid Ramsower (1932-2012), a Swedish author and journalist who wrote extensively about environmental issues.
5. Markus Ramsower (1964-present), a German businessman and philanthropist, founder of the Ramsower Foundation for children's education.
While the surname Ramsower is relatively uncommon today, its rich history spans several centuries and reflects the diverse contributions of its bearers across various fields and regions of the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ramsower
Among Census respondents with the surname Ramsower, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Ramsower bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ramsower surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.7% · 94
- Hispanic or Latino10.4% · 11
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ramsower
Ramsower appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+6 bearers (+5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,384 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-4 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,944 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.8%) | Down 3,384 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.6%) | Down 2,944 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ramsower surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #149,395 | #152,339 | -2.0% |
| Count | 110 | 106 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ramsower bearers went from 110 to 106 (-3.6% change). The surname moved down 2,944 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #152,339.
FAQ
Ramsower surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ramsower?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Ramsower. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Ramsower?
Ramsower ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Ramsower. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Ramsower.
Has Ramsower become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ramsower went from 110 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Ramsower?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ramsower, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ramsower in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ramsower appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.7%), Hispanic (10.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ramsower (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ramsower mean?
A surname derived from a place name, possibly related to a meadow or field where rams grazed. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ramsower (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Ramsower?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.