2000
#121,058
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 132
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Ranslem
A variant spelling of the surname Ransom, derived from the medieval French personal name Rancon.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Ranslem. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ranslem 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Ranslem in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ranslem, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ranslem
The surname RANSLEM is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "rān" meaning "boundary" and "slemman" meaning "to slide or slip." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a boundary or border area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the RANSLEM surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1195, where a Robert Ranslem is mentioned as a landowner. The name also appears in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a William Ranslem is listed as a resident of Buckinghamshire.
During the 14th century, the RANSLEM name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Berkshire. Some variations in spelling included Ranslem, Ransleme, and Ranslam. It is possible that the name was influenced by local place names or topographical features, as was common during that era.
One notable figure bearing the RANSLEM surname was Sir John Ranslem (c. 1410-1478), a member of the gentry from Oxfordshire. He served as a knight of the shire and was known for his involvement in local affairs and governance.
Another individual of note was Thomas Ranslem (c. 1565-1638), a wealthy landowner and farmer from Buckinghamshire. Records indicate that he owned substantial properties and played a significant role in the local community.
In the 17th century, the RANSLEM family had established itself as a respected lineage in the English countryside. Robert Ranslem (1625-1698), a successful merchant from Berkshire, was a prominent figure in his time and left behind a substantial estate.
The RANSLEM surname also found its way into literary works, with a character named Josiah Ranslem appearing in the 18th-century novel "The Vicar of Wakefield" by Oliver Goldsmith.
Throughout the centuries, the RANSLEM name has been carried by various individuals, some of whom have made notable contributions in fields such as law, business, and academia. However, the surname remains relatively uncommon in modern times, a testament to its rich historical roots and enduring legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ranslem
Among Census respondents with the surname Ranslem, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Ranslem 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 Ranslem surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.7% · 98
- Two or more races7.1% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ranslem
Ranslem 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-18 bearers (-13.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 24,162 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,001 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #121,058 | 132 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | -18 bearers (-13.6%) | Down 24,162 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 2,001 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 Ranslem 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 | #145,220 | #147,221 | -1.4% |
| Count | 114 | 113 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ranslem bearers went from 114 to 113 (-0.9% change). The surname moved down 2,001 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #147,221.
FAQ
Ranslem surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ranslem?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Ranslem. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Ranslem?
Ranslem ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Ranslem. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Ranslem.
Has Ranslem become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ranslem went from 114 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Ranslem?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ranslem, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Ranslem in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.7% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ranslem appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.7%), Two or More Races (7.1%), Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Ranslem (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 Ranslem mean?
A variant spelling of the surname Ransom, derived from the medieval French personal name Rancon. 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 Ranslem (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 Ranslem?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.