Explore the Family Name Ramey
The meaning of Ramey
1. Altered form of French Rémy (see Remy). 2. French: derivative of Old French ra(i)m ‘branch’ (from Latin ramus), hence a topographic name for someone who lived in a thickly wooded area. History: This surname (see 1 above) is listed along with its original form Rémy in the (US) National Huguenot Society’s register of qualified Huguenot ancestors. Many of its bearers are descendants of Jacques Rémy, born c.1630 in France, who by 1672 lived in Westmoreland County, VA, where he died in 1721.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ramey in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Ramey" saw a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Ramey was ranked as the 1526th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had dropped slightly to the 1616th spot, marking a 5.9% decline. The number of people with this surname, however, actually increased from 21,618 in 2000 to 22,287 in 2010, a growth of 3.09%. This indicates that while the name became less common relative to other surnames, the total number of people named Ramey actually increased.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,526 | #1,616 | -5.9% |
| Count | 21,618 | 22,287 | 3.09% |
| Proportion per 100k | 8.01 | 7.56 | -5.62% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ramey
When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Ramey, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows a few notable shifts between 2000 and 2010. While the majority of individuals with this surname identified as White (84.77% in 2010, down slightly from 86.12% in 2000), there were increases seen in other ethnicities. The percentage of individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander descent grew by 26.67%, and those reporting two or more races increased by 36.88%. The proportion of Rameys identifying as Hispanic also saw a substantial increase, rising by 61.36%. Meanwhile, the percentages of Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native remained relatively stable, with no change for the former and a 9.09% decrease for the latter.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 86.12% | 84.77% | -1.57% |
| Black | 10.19% | 10.19% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 1.32% | 2.13% | 61.36% |
| Two or More Races | 1.41% | 1.93% | 36.88% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.66% | 0.6% | -9.09% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.38% | 26.67% |
Ramey ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Ramey is British & Irish, which comprises 58.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.0%) and Scandinavian (3.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, Nigerian, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 58.9% |
| French & German | 23.0% |
| Scandinavian | 3.8% |
| Other | 14.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Ramey
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Ramey have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 91.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 90.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 90.90% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 90.90% |
What Ramey haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Ramey is R-L2, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L2 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Cash, Etheridge, Stauffer, Cronin, Dodson, Buffington, Dotson, Rounds, Hitchcock, Allard.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ramey surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Ramey have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Ramey" Surname 53.0%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Ramey" Surname 27.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ramey" Surname 25.8%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Ramey" Surname 19.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ramey?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Ramey are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition