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

Ransdell, 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 Ransdell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ransdell in America

Ransdell is the 17463rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ransdell surname appeared 1,614 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 Ransdell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ransdell 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 Ransdell

The surname Ransdell is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "ran" meaning frog and "dell" meaning a small valley or depression, possibly referring to someone who lived near a frog-filled dell or marshy area.

One of the earliest records of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Ranesdele" in the county of Kent. This suggests that the name was already established in that region by the late 11th century.

The Ransdell family is known to have held lands and estates in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Kent, Suffolk, and Gloucestershire. In the 13th century, a Richard de Ransdell is mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Gloucestershire, indicating that the family had acquired property in that area.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, variations of the spelling emerged, including Ransdell, Ransdall, and Ransdale. One notable bearer of the name was John Ransdell, a Puritan minister who was born in Suffolk in 1595 and later emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1636.

Another significant figure was Sir William Ransdell (1617-1688), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Kent. He was a Member of Parliament and served as Sheriff of Kent in 1665.

In the 18th century, the Ransdell family continued to prosper, with several members holding positions of prominence. Thomas Ransdell (1721-1788) was a successful banker and philanthropist from Gloucestershire, while his son, William Ransdell (1754-1832), became a notable writer and philosopher.

The 19th century saw the Ransdell name spread further afield, with some members of the family emigrating to other parts of the British Empire, including Canada and Australia. One such individual was Joseph Ransdell (1822-1901), a farmer and landowner who settled in Ontario, Canada.

Throughout its long history, the Ransdell surname has been borne by numerous individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, politicians, businessmen, and academics. While its origin may be rooted in the English countryside, the name has since traveled far and wide, leaving its mark on the annals of history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ransdell

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

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 Ransdell 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 Ransdell 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 Ransdell was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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