The Ramsey surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 78,350 people carried this name — #412 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 3,770 people counted. That is up 2% from 76,625 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Ramsey surname

A habitational surname from Old English from the town in Huntingdonshire.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Ramsey» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In the Nordic population registers

30 people named Ramsey is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 30

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In the first U.S. census, 1790

191 families named Ramsey, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 1,111 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 79
North Carolina 41
Virginia 22
South Carolina 17
New Hampshire 11
New York 10
Maryland 7
Maine 1
Vermont 1
Rhode Island 1
Connecticut 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 258 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Ramsey in American newspapers,
1922–1923.

Newspaper page from Vashon Island News-record carrying the name Ramsey
Vashon Island News-record 1922-01-27
Newspaper page from Ladysmith News-budget carrying the name Ramsey
Ladysmith News-budget 1922-07-07
Newspaper page from The Kennewick Courier-reporter carrying the name Ramsey
The Kennewick Courier-reporter 1923-06-07

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 537,407 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Ramsey in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

16,797 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Ramsey. The most, 3,666, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 3.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 5,842
New South Wales 4,043
Queensland 3,009
Victoria 2,679
Western Australia 520
Tasmania 409
ACT (Canberra) 227
Northern Territory 7

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Ramsey.

Who carried it

People named Ramsey,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Mary Ramsey
    Mary Ramsey 1540–1601 · philanthropist
  • John Ramsey d. 1551 · writer
  • Agnes Ramsey d. 1400 · businessperson
  • Alistair Ramsey d. 1987
  • Violet Maude Ramsey d. 1960
  • Marian Ramsey d. 1952

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Ramsey,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States5,146 records

5,146 records of the Ramsey name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 2,592
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 1,083
  • Other U.S. records 1,471
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Virgus Fredrick Ramsey

    Born 1947; from Little Rock, Arkansas. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1967 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at Little Rock National Cemetery, Arkansas.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Edward J. Ramsey

    Born 1900 in Texas. Enlisted 1942 at Phoenix, Arizona; driver from Maricopa County, Arizona. U.S. Army veteran; died 1953, buried at Fairmount Cemetery, Lamar, Colorado.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Ramsey

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Furnessia from Glasgow and Londonderry, aged 20; servant. From Derry, Ireland; bound for Philadelphia.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 5,146 records for Ramsey in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia562 records

562 records of the Ramsey name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 291
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 128
  • Other Australian records 143
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Robert Henry Ramsey

    Died 1901 in Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1901.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Robert Ramsey

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Ocean, arriving 1823; ticket of leave 1836. Native of London.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Job Ramsey

    Arrived in Queensland in 1890 aboard the Taroba, aged 23.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 562 records for Ramsey in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada202 records

202 records of the Ramsey name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 137
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 17
  • Other Canadian records 48
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record James Ramsey

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the Providence, bound for Port Roseway, aged 20.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Duncan James Ramsey

    Buried in 1975 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 54.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Ramsey

    Buried in 1918 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 80.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 202 records for Ramsey in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom33 records

33 records of the Ramsey name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 21
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 12
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jane Ramsey

    Buried in 1808 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 42.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Ramsey

    Gunner, Cheshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Ramsey

    Buried in 1823 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 77.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 33 records for Ramsey in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands11 records

11 records of the Ramsey name in the Netherlands Dutch church registers before 1811
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Anna Ramsey

    Married in 1710 in Rotterdam; born in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Johannes Ramsey

    Married in 1626 in Oudewater.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record John Ramsey

    Married in 1684 in Rotterdam; born in Scotland.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 11 records for Ramsey in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

New Zealand9 records

9 records of the Ramsey name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 6
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 2
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Ramsey

    Died 1945, aged 54; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Marjory Lavinia Ramsey

    Died 1980; buried at Rangiora Lawn Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record J. Ramsey

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Ramsey in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Norway3 records

3 records of the Ramsey name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Beatrice Ramsey

    Census of 1910: Holmboesgate, Kristiania; born 1886 in Kristiania.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Stephen Arthur Ramsey

    Census of 1910: Holmboesgate, Kristiania; born 1890 in Kristiania.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Ramsey in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Ramsey.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Ramsey is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Ramsey volume
Scroll to Top