2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ransburgh
Of Anglo-Saxon origin, denoting someone living near a rampart or fortified place.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Ransburgh. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ransburgh 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Ransburgh in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ransburgh, the largest self-reported group is White at 64.0%. The next largest groups are Black (30.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ransburgh
The surname Ransburgh is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words 'ran' meaning 'boundary' and 'burgh' meaning 'fortified town or settlement'. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name, possibly referring to a settlement near a boundary or border.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Ranesburc'. This entry indicates that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century. The variations in spelling, such as 'Ransburgh' and 'Ransbury', emerged in later centuries as a result of linguistic evolution and regional differences in pronunciation.
Historically, the Ransburgh family held lands and properties in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Northamptonshire and Leicestershire. Records from the 13th century mention a John de Ransburgh, who was a landholder in Northamptonshire. In the 14th century, a Sir William Ransburgh is documented as a knight and a prominent figure in Leicestershire.
Notable individuals with the surname Ransburgh include Sir Robert Ransburgh (1562-1627), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I. Another prominent figure was Elizabeth Ransburgh (1678-1743), a respected author and poet whose works were widely acclaimed in her time.
In the 18th century, the Ransburgh family had established itself in the city of London, with several members holding influential positions in the mercantile and banking sectors. One such individual was Thomas Ransburgh (1712-1788), a successful merchant and financier who played a significant role in the expansion of British trade with the colonies.
The 19th century saw the surname Ransburgh spread beyond England, with members of the family emigrating to other parts of the British Empire, including Canada and Australia. One notable figure from this period was Captain James Ransburgh (1820-1887), a British naval officer who distinguished himself in various campaigns and explorations in the Pacific region.
Throughout its history, the surname Ransburgh has been associated with a diverse range of professions and achievements, from landowners and politicians to authors and military personnel. Despite its relatively rare occurrence, the name has left an indelible mark on the annals of English history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ransburgh
Among Census respondents with the surname Ransburgh, the largest self-reported group is White at 64.0%. The next largest groups are Black (30.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Ransburgh 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 Ransburgh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White64.0% · 71
- Black or African American30.6% · 34
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ransburgh
Ransburgh appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+7 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,379 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.7%) | Up 7,379 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 Ransburgh 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 | #156,044 | #148,665 | 4.7% |
| Count | 104 | 111 | 6.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ransburgh bearers went from 104 to 111 (+6.7% change). The surname moved up 7,379 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #148,665.
FAQ
Ransburgh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ransburgh?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Ransburgh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Ransburgh?
Ransburgh ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Ransburgh. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Ransburgh.
Has Ransburgh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ransburgh went from 104 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 7 (+6.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Ransburgh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ransburgh, the largest self-reported group is White at 64.0%. The next largest groups are Black (30.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Ransburgh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 64.0% (71 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ransburgh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (64.0%), Black (30.6%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Ransburgh (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 Ransburgh mean?
Of Anglo-Saxon origin, denoting someone living near a rampart or fortified place. 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 Ransburgh (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 Americans have the surname Ransburgh?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.