The Ransom surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 16,871 people carried this name — #2,150 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 17,500 people counted. That is up 7% from 15,754 in 2000.

See Ransom on the map Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Ransom surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Randolph’.

His entry covers Ranson, Ransom and Ransome.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 636 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Ransom was found among the farmers of Suffolk: 14 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent. His list gives one count for the spellings Ransom and Ranson.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Suffolk 14

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

90 families named Ransom, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 537 people lived in those households, 6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 3 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

Massachusetts 22
Connecticut 21
Vermont 12
New York 12
North Carolina 12
Virginia 9
New Hampshire 1
Pennsylvania 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

Ransom in American newspapers,
1906–1909.

Newspaper page from The Watchman And Southron carrying the name Ransom
The Watchman And Southron 1909-09-08
Newspaper page from The Courier-journal carrying the name Ransom
The Courier-journal 1906-12-02
Newspaper page from The Watchman And Southron carrying the name Ransom
The Watchman And Southron 1909-09-29

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 6,646 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Ransom in Australian newspapers,
1810s–1990s.

13,120 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Ransom. The most, 2,995, 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 Tasmania, at 4.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Tasmania 3,997
Victoria 2,379
South Australia 2,112
Queensland 1,818
New South Wales 1,536
Western Australia 1,032
ACT (Canberra) 213
Northern Territory 3

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

Who carried it

People named Ransom,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Epaphroditus Ransom
    Epaphroditus Ransom 1798–1859 · judge
  • Matt Whitaker Ransom
    Matt Whitaker Ransom 1826–1904 · politician
  • Kathleen Elizabeth Ransom d. 2011
  • Mary Ransom d. 1787
  • James Ransom d. 1912
  • John Ransom 1709–1797

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 9 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Ransom,
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 States1,367 records

1,367 records of the Ransom name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 574
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 309
  • Other U.S. records 484
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record William B. Ransom

    Born 1907 in Virginia. Enlisted 1942 at Richmond; longshoreman from Norfolk County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1969, buried at Hampton National Cemetery, Virginia.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Bradley Rogers Ransom

    Born 1942; from Barlow, Kentucky. U.S. Air Force; died in an accident 1969 in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam. Buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (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 William Bayley Ransom

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Graf Waldersee from Boulogne, aged 41; engineer. From London, Canada; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 1,367 records for Ransom 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) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia391 records

391 records of the Ransom name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 159
  • Tasmanian Names Index 146
  • Other Australian records 86
  1. 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 Henry Ransom

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lord Lyndoch, sailing from London in 1840. Native of Southampton, Hampshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1847.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Mary Jane Ransom

    Died 1911 in Killymoon, Mount Nicholas, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1912.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record William Ransom

    Arrived in Victoria in 1854 aboard the Medina, aged 50; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 391 records for Ransom in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · 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: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada36 records

36 records of the Ransom name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 13
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 8
  • Other Canadian records 15
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Ransom

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Moravian, landing at Quebec, bound for Seaforth, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record William Vivian Ransom

    Buried in 1991 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 72.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Louise Artimise Ransom

    Died 1952 in Arichat, Richmond, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 36 records for Ransom in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · 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). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom19 records

19 records of the Ransom name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 10
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 9
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Ransom

    Buried in 1836 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 68.

    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 F. Ransom

    Royal Sussex 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 Elizth Ransom

    Buried in 1829 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 27.

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

Showing 3 of 19 records for Ransom 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).

New Zealand6 records

6 records of the Ransom name in New Zealand
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 3
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 2
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Minnie Ransom

    Died 1930, aged 50; 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 Audrey Christina Ransom

    Died 1991, aged 76; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Eileen F. Ransom

    Died 1991; buried at Whangamata Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Ransom in New Zealand.

Counts: Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands4 records

4 records of the Ransom name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Edward Ransom

    Died 1959 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 84.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Marij Anne Ransom

    In the population register of Utrecht; born in Londen Engeland.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Ransom in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France1 record

1 record of the Ransom name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Helen Emily Ransom

    Born 1911 in the United States; died 1998 in Boucé (Allier).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Ransom.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Ransom.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Ransom 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 Ransom volume
Scroll to Top