Explore the Family Name Ramsey
The meaning of Ramsey
Scottish, English, and Irish (Antrim): habitational name from Ramsey (Huntingdonshire, now part of Cambridgeshire), from Old English hramsa ‘wild garlic’ + ēg ‘island, low-lying land’. Alternatively, the name may also arise from Ramsey (Essex), probably from the same etymology as the Huntingdonshire placename. However, this is unlikely to be the source of the Scottish surname. This form of the surname is also common in Ireland, where it is probably in most if not all cases an altered form of Scottish Ramsay.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ramsey in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Ramsey saw a slight alteration in rank between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Ramsey held the rank of 373 but dropped to position 412 in 2010, marking a decrease of 10.46%. However, the total count of individuals with this surname increased by 2.25% during the same time period, from 76,625 to 78,350. Despite this increase, the proportion of people named Ramsey per 100,000 decreased by 6.48%, from 28.4 in 2000 to 26.56 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #373 | #412 | -10.46% |
| Count | 76,625 | 78,350 | 2.25% |
| Proportion per 100k | 28.4 | 26.56 | -6.48% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ramsey
In terms of ethnic identity, there were some notable shifts among people with the surname Ramsey as reported by the Decennial U.S. Census. The Hispanic population saw the most significant increase of 46.43%, rising from 1.68% in 2000 to 2.46% in 2010. Individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also increased by 35.29%, while those identifying as two or more races rose by 23.17%. The proportion of Black individuals slightly increased by 2.36%, whereas the White population experienced a minor decline of 2.14%. The group identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw a marginal increase of 4.48%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 79.54% | 77.84% | -2.14% |
| Black | 16.13% | 16.51% | 2.36% |
| Hispanic | 1.68% | 2.46% | 46.43% |
| Two or More Races | 1.64% | 2.02% | 23.17% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.67% | 0.7% | 4.48% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.34% | 0.46% | 35.29% |
Ramsey 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 Ramsey is British & Irish, which comprises 55.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.6%) and Scandinavian (3.3%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Nigerian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.6% |
| French & German | 22.6% |
| Scandinavian | 3.3% |
| Other | 18.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Ramsey
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 Ramsey have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 87.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 87.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 87.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 86.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 86.80% |
What Ramsey 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 Ramsey is R-Y4010, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Y4010 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and I-P109, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Sanders, Guy, Tomlinson, Fowler, Dixon, Corbett, Rice, Morris, Nicholson, Hart.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ramsey 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 Ramsey 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.
"Ramsey" Surname 43.2%
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.
"Ramsey" Surname 28.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ramsey" Surname 26.3%
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.
"Ramsey" Surname 18.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ramsey?
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 Ramsey are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition