Ramsey Surname

4,790th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 117,893 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
United States
Highest density in:
Norfolk Island

Ramsey Surname Definition:

The Ramsays are supposed to have come from Huntingdonshire where Ramsey is a local name (Latin de Rameseia). The first of the name recorded in Scotland is Simund de Ramesie who witnessed the charter by Turstan filius Leuingus of the church of Livingston to the Abbey of Holyrood, c.

Read More About This Surname

Ramsey Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States101,1261:3,584386
England6,4711:8,6101,257
Australia2,6691:10,1151,503
Canada2,0921:17,6132,508
Northern Ireland9751:1,892392
Trinidad and Tobago4941:2,761472
Bahamas3391:1,156217
New Zealand3361:13,4772,333
Saudi Arabia3181:97,03114,320
Scotland2641:20,2802,362
Thailand2131:331,63557,264
Ireland2071:22,7482,249
Jamaica1971:14,5681,422
Wales1791:17,2881,873
Panama1731:22,6141,451
Philippines1421:712,94571,974
South Africa1331:407,35135,714
Antigua and Barbuda1261:787134
Belize941:3,782725
Iraq941:372,5716,843
Barbados931:3,091463
Nigeria831:2,134,25073,634
Tanzania711:745,65741,495
Japan601:2,130,73828,607
France571:1,165,311123,217
Ecuador481:331,3729,295
Malaysia411:719,37133,828
Singapore391:141,2236,278
Peru381:836,42417,653
Grenada371:2,933461
United States Virgin Islands371:2,983508
Germany331:2,439,559124,421
Guernsey291:2,222539
Mexico291:4,280,21427,059
India281:27,395,192354,286
Guyana261:29,3163,211
Norway261:197,78022,769
Denmark221:256,57819,736
Turks and Caicos Islands211:1,635178
Brazil201:10,703,717220,519
Isle of Man201:4,291899
Sweden201:492,33835,486
Liberia181:244,91915,115
Malawi181:951,06219,502
Netherlands171:993,36365,241
Spain161:2,922,00263,384
Egypt141:6,566,84048,108
Nicaragua141:430,0783,469
Papua New Guinea141:582,40870,330
Zimbabwe141:1,102,73166,551
Costa Rica131:367,6983,592
Switzerland131:631,76343,230
Guam121:13,3432,098
Austria91:946,15970,786
Finland91:610,74534,002
Hong Kong91:815,0543,802
Saint Kitts and Nevis91:6,133601
Cayman Islands81:7,987922
China81:170,915,1968,932
Jersey81:12,4002,398
Venezuela81:3,775,51036,567
Afghanistan71:4,593,31223,122
Belgium71:1,642,37898,400
Bermuda71:9,3261,286
Indonesia61:22,041,532555,748
Kenya61:7,696,65052,907
Qatar61:393,00055,922
Saint Lucia61:29,7971,820
Czechia51:2,126,694115,412
Ghana51:5,404,13815,377
Bahrain41:337,1526,054
Dominican Republic41:2,608,23320,941
DR Congo41:18,469,892182,906
Morocco41:8,619,02573,251
Romania41:5,019,46862,922
South Korea41:12,810,0642,073
Uganda41:9,759,820144,676
Norfolk Island31:765177
Taiwan31:7,814,91541,694
United Arab Emirates31:3,054,09190,853
Iceland21:190,0456,825
Iran21:38,391,262236,033
Italy21:30,578,344160,757
Poland21:19,004,374199,659
Puerto Rico21:1,775,0706,602
Serbia21:3,572,47432,645
Sudan21:18,755,09814,167
Albania11:2,914,05529,474
Algeria11:38,631,551130,422
Argentina11:42,743,414282,706
Cambodia11:15,487,14614,824
Chad11:13,592,19913,092
Chile11:17,616,47493,597
Cyprus11:884,87613,055
Dominica11:75,891912
El Salvador11:6,343,8888,415
Falkland Islands11:3,132317
Fiji11:894,3914,568
Georgia11:3,745,54547,852
Greece11:11,079,790145,225
Guatemala11:16,082,66812,169
Israel11:8,557,634182,558
Ivory Coast11:23,071,23276,679
Jordan11:8,842,43726,010
Kosovo11:1,861,86914,990
Lebanon11:5,637,08332,436
Macau11:601,6301,582
Micronesia11:106,2431,380
Monaco11:37,0664,748
Nepal11:28,480,95622,413
Northern Mariana Islands11:54,5801,498
Pakistan11:178,643,885213,220
Paraguay11:7,236,74616,511
Slovakia11:5,336,450140,422
Solomon Islands11:580,02922,243
Somalia11:13,452,0619,224
Sri Lanka11:20,808,56018,521
Tajikistan11:8,386,69212,859
Tunisia11:610,62630,336
Turkey11:77,821,422191,047
Uruguay11:3,431,75838,295
Yemen11:26,425,29455,147
Zambia11:15,849,92253,989
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland7131:6,213997
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England2,8721:8,4871,287
Scotland3731:10,0351,282
Wales101:156,8426,008
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States16,2041:3,099363

Ramsey (11,553) may also be a first name.

Ramsey Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

The Ramsays are supposed to have come from Huntingdonshire where Ramsey is a local name (Latin de Rameseia). The first of the name recorded in Scotland is Simund de Ramesie who witnessed the charter by Turstan filius Leuingus of the church of Livingston to the Abbey of Holyrood, c. 1153--65 or at least before 1175 (LSC., 17). He also witnessed a confirmation charter by William de Moreville of the lands of Gillemorestun to Edulfus filius Uctredi before 1196 (REG., I, p. 40). Symone de Ramsay witnessed a charter by Gilbert, earl of Strathem before 1198 (LIM., p. xxiv), and William de Rameshej witnessed a charter by William the Lion before 1200 (LSC., 48). Nessus de Ramisseia or de Ramesia, medicus domjni regis, was a charter witness, c. 1220-32 (CMN., 7, 9, 11). William de Ramessay who witnessed a charter by David de Lysurs to the Abbey of Neubotel, c. 1233-36 is the first to appear under the designation 'de Dalwussy' (i.e. Dalhousie) (Neubotel, p. 28). William de Rammeseye and several others of the name rendered homage, 1296 (Bain, II). Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie was starved to death in Hermitage Castle, 1342 (Tytler, History, I, p. 188). Michael de Ramesay was sheriff of Fife in 1395 (RPSA., p. 2), and Hugo de Ramesay was one of an inquest on the marches of Kyrknes and Louchor in same year (ibid., p. 3). Ry the middle of the thirteenth century the Ramsays appear as landowners in Angus and in the following century they are divided into several branches. Ramesey 1378, Rameseye 1293, Ramhishay 1328, Ramissay 1320, Ramsa 1510, Ramysey 1261, Remesey 1316.

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

(English and Scandinavian) belonging to Ramsey = 1 HRAM’s or Hræm(n)’s Island or Waterside [the genit. of Old English hræm(n, a raven + ég, í(e)g, island, etc.] 2 Ram’s Island or Waterside [the genit. of Old English ram(m, a ram] 3 Ram(m)'s Island or Waterside [the genit. of Old Norse ram(m)-r, strong + ey, island, etc.] Ramsey, Hunts, occurs in A.-Saxon charters both as Rameseg and Hrameseg. Ramsey, I.o.M., was anciently Ramsöe [Dano-Norwegian ö, island] Simon de Ramsey in Huntingdon settled in Scotland in the 12th century.—MacBain, Inverness Names, p. 71.

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

(Scottish, English) One who came from Ramsay (ram's isle), in Scotland, or from Ramsey (wild garlic island), the name of places in Essex and Huntingdonshire.

Dictionary of American Family Names (1956) by Elsdon Coles Smith

This name is totally distinct from that of Ramsey. The Earl of Dalhousie's family are said to be of German extraction. They are traced from Simon de Ramsay of Dalhousie, in Lothian, temp. David I. 1140. The lands of Ramsay are in Argyleshire.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Parishes in Huntingdonshire and Essex.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Local: from the village of Ramsay in Huntingdonshire. The Scottish branch of the family are descended from Simon de Ramsay of Dalhousie in Edinburghshire, temp. David I. The Abbot of Ramsay bore on his seal a ram in the sea, with this verse: "Cujus signa quo dux gregis ut ego;" He whose signs I bear is leader of the flock, as I am.

The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames (1862) by Clifford Stanley Sims (1839-1896)

Local. From Ea, Saxon, water, or an isle, and Ram, Ram's Isle, a place in Huntingdonshire, England; where the family originated, and afterward settled in Scotland. Ramus, Latin, branches, young trees—the isle of underbrush, branches, or young trees; a place where cattle browse. Reomasey, Saxon, from Reoma, the rim, edge, extremity, a border, and ey, an island.

An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857) by William Arthur

(English), Rammesig, Ram's island.

Surnames (1857) by Bernard Homer Dixon

Ramsey Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Ramsey Come From? nationality or country of origin

Ramsey (Arabic: رمسي, Marathi: रॅमसे) is carried by more people in The United States than any other country/territory. It may also occur in the variant forms:. Click here for other possible spellings of Ramsey.

How Common Is The Last Name Ramsey? popularity and diffusion

The last name is the 4,790th most frequent last name on earth, held by approximately 1 in 61,815 people. The surname is primarily found in The Americas, where 81 percent of Ramsey are found; 80 percent are found in North America and 80 percent are found in Anglo-North America. Ramsey is also the 55,596th most frequently held first name throughout the world It is held by 11,553 people.

This last name is most commonly occurring in The United States, where it is held by 101,126 people, or 1 in 3,584. In The United States it is mostly concentrated in: Texas, where 10 percent are found, California, where 7 percent are found and Tennessee, where 5 percent are found. Beside The United States this last name is found in 122 countries. It is also found in England, where 5 percent are found and Australia, where 2 percent are found.

Ramsey Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The incidence of Ramsey has changed through the years. In The United States the share of the population with the surname increased 624 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it increased 225 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Scotland it contracted 29 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Ireland it contracted 71 percent between 1901 and 2014 and in Wales it increased 1,790 percent between 1881 and 2014.

Ramsey Last Name Statistics demography

The religious adherence of those holding the Ramsey last name is predominantly Presbyterian (50%) in Ireland.

In The United States those holding the Ramsey surname are 15.47% more likely to be registered with the Republican Party than The US average, with 62.24% registered with the party.

The amount Ramsey earn in different countries varies greatly. In Norway they earn 1.66% more than the national average, earning 351,837 kr per year; in Peru they earn 210.1% more than the national average, earning S/. 60,113 per year; in South Africa they earn 12.34% less than the national average, earning R 208,308 per year; in United States they earn 6.63% less than the national average, earning $40,290 USD per year and in Canada they earn 0.17% more than the national average, earning $49,768 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Rasmsey924/
Ramssey924/
Ramseys922/
Rammsey922/
Rramsey921/
Ramseya921/
Ramszey921/
Ramsiey921/
Ramseey920/
Ramse91723/
Ramsy91597/
Ramseyii863/
Ramsay8349,100/
Ramses832,173/
Ramser831,185/
Ramzey83525/
Ransey83246/
Ramsøy83237/
Romsey83149/
Remsey83121/
Rammsy8395/
Ramsue8384/
Ramsie8362/
Ramsøe8360/
Ramsee8349/
Ramshe8337/
Ramsyi8313/
Ramset8313/
Ramsoy8310/
Ramsze837/
Ramcey837/
Ramsei835/
Ramshy834/
Ramseh834/
Ramsiy833/
Ramsed833/
Ramsuy832/
Reamse831/
Ramsez831/
Ramsys831/
Ramssy830/
Ramshed772,484/
Ramsiej77979/
Ramsier77490/
Ramsett7779/
Ramsayi7751/
Ramsher7742/
Ramsiya7729/
Ramshay7727/
Ramsche7727/
Ramsess7722/
Raumsay7711/
Ramsses778/
Ramseer777/
Ramsesh775/
Ramseed774/
Ramsaye774/
Raimser774/
Ramseid774/
Ramsees773/
Ramsehe772/
Ramsaya772/
Ramsaie772/
Ramseeh771/
Ramshea771/
Ramshet771/
Rammsay771/
Romnsey771/
Ramsayè771/
Ramsiyo771/
Ramsheh771/
Reamsie771/
Ramnses771/
Rainsey770/
Ranssey770/
Rannsey770/
Raimsay770/
Reamses770/
Ramzy7362,056/
Ramsi731,017/
Ramsa73792/
Ramze73695/
Ramge73683/
Ransy73216/
Ranse73185/
Remse73105/
Romse7380/
Ramcy7370/
Romsy7360/
Ramje7342/
Remsy7313/
Ramce738/
Ramxy731/
Ramsahye71866/
Ramschie71584/
Ramsahay71419/
Ramsheed71240/
Ramshead7175/
Ramshaye7126/
Ramshesh7115/
Ramshiya719/
Ramshger718/
Ramshaie717/
Ramsheer715/
Ramsyiah714/
Ramshaya712/
Ramsheeh712/
Ramsahei711/
Ramshihe711/
Ramsiyah711/
Ramshyie711/
Ramsohye711/
Raumnsse711/
D'Ramsay711/
Rammsses711/
Ramsheep711/
Rahmsher711/
Reamsedt710/
Ramsowes710/
Ramsis676,501/
Ramjee672,258/
Ramshi671,886/
Ramjas67508/
Ransay67289/
Ramsha67235/
Ramzes67224/
Ramsah67204/
Ramzee67158/
Ramsahaye67143/
Ramchy67137/
Ramscheid67117/
Remsei67101/
Ramsai6792/
Ramsih6782/
Ranses6771/
Ramsia6763/
Ramsad6743/
Romses6743/
Rangey6740/
Romsøe6737/
Ramsjø6732/
Ramzis6730/
Remshe6730/
Ransed6723/
Romset6723/
Romseh6722/
Ramsza6722/
Ramsid6721/
Romshe6720/
Ramzie6719/
Ramger6717/
Ramsit6717/
Romsee6717/
Ramzay6715/
Ranset6714/
Ramsahaie6713/
Ramzer6712/
Ramces6712/
Romsay6712/
Remsøy6712/
Ramjet6711/
Ranshe6710/
Ransep6710/
Ranser679/
Ramsji678/
Romsée678/
Remsie677/
Raimsi675/
Ramsaj675/
Ramsas675/
Ransie675/
Ramsés675/
Ramjoy674/
Ramgee674/
Rancey674/
Ramcet674/
Remssy674/
Remsay673/
Ratnse673/
Ramjes673/
Ramche673/
Romsøy673/
Ramsau673/
Ranzey672/
Ramsat672/
Ramsui672/
Ranseh672/
Rainsy672/
Ramcis672/
Reamje671/
Ramsaa671/
Ramziy671/
Ramged671/
Ramget671/
Ramjay671/
Rammze671/
Romsie671/
Ramsou671/
Ramzas671/
Ramcez671/
Ramgie671/
Rammsa671/
Reamzy671/
Reemsy671/
Raemsi671/
Romser671/
Ramsahyee671/
Rammzy671/
Ramjer671/
Raamje671/
Romnsy671/
Reanse671/
Ramjis671/
Ramxee671/
Ramzze671/
Ramsaz671/
Ransee671/
Ransse671/
Rahamshed671/
Ranshy670/
Ronsey670/
Ramzea670/
Rannse670/
Rainse670/

Ramsey Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Ramsey in the Marathi language
रॅमसेremase62.5
सेयseya12.5
रामसीramasi12.5
रमसेयramaseya12.5
Ramsey in the Arabic language
رمسيrmsy-
رامزيramzy-

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Ramsey Reference & Research

Ramsey One-name Study - A profile of the Ramsey surname with contact details for a researcher who collects any information pertaining to it.

Ramsay, Ramsey, Rums FamilyTree DNA Project - A description of a group researching the paternal lines of men who bear the surname with the help of DNA analysis.

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Ramsey
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis