NameCensus.

UK surname

Ramsdale

From a valley where wild garlic grew.

In the 1881 census there were 717 people recorded with the Ramsdale surname, ranking it #5,079 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 929, ranked #6,153, down from #5,079 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, Wigan and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, North East Derbyshire and Hambleton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ramsdale is 1,117 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.6%.

1881 census count

717

Ranked #5,079

Modern count

929

2016, ranked #6,153

Peak year

1911

1,117 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ramsdale had 717 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,079 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 929 in 2016, ranked #6,153.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,117 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Ramsdale surname distribution map

The map shows where the Ramsdale surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Ramsdale surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ramsdale over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 451 #5,469
1861 historical 419 #6,133
1881 historical 717 #5,079
1891 historical 819 #4,943
1901 historical 934 #4,998
1911 historical 1,117 #4,159
1997 modern 955 #5,694
1998 modern 990 #5,714
1999 modern 1,023 #5,611
2000 modern 1,020 #5,588
2001 modern 1,010 #5,536
2002 modern 1,015 #5,621
2003 modern 982 #5,674
2004 modern 986 #5,661
2005 modern 965 #5,705
2006 modern 943 #5,833
2007 modern 955 #5,830
2008 modern 962 #5,823
2009 modern 984 #5,840
2010 modern 1,016 #5,811
2011 modern 985 #5,888
2012 modern 932 #6,084
2013 modern 941 #6,136
2014 modern 948 #6,137
2015 modern 932 #6,164
2016 modern 929 #6,153

Geography

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Where Ramsdales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, Wigan, Eccles, Leigh and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, North East Derbyshire, Hambleton, Mansfield and Bolton. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Darlington Durham
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 020 Wigan
2 North East Derbyshire 009 North East Derbyshire
3 Hambleton 002 Hambleton
4 Mansfield 007 Mansfield
5 Bolton 009 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ramsdale

These lists show first names that appear often with the Ramsdale surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ramsdale

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ramsdale, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Ramsdale surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Ramsdale household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ramsdale is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ramsdale is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ramsdale falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ramsdale is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ramsdale, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ramsdale

The surname Ramsdale is of English origin and dates back to the early medieval period. The name is derived from the Old English words 'ram' meaning ram and 'dæl' meaning valley or dell, suggesting that the name originated as a topographic name for someone who lived in a valley where rams grazed.

The earliest known record of the name Ramsdale appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed in the entry for Yorkshire, where a family bearing the name owned land.

During the Middle Ages, the name was also spelled in various ways, including Ramsdell, Ramsdale, and Ramsden. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Ramsdale was John Ramsdale, who was born in Yorkshire around 1320. He served as a soldier in the Hundred Years' War and was noted for his bravery in the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

In the 16th century, a prominent member of the Ramsdale family was William Ramsdale (1508-1580), who was a wealthy merchant and landowner in the city of York. He played a significant role in the city's affairs and served as a alderman and mayor.

Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Ramsdale (1624-1692), a member of Parliament and a supporter of the Glorious Revolution of 1688. He was a staunch advocate for religious freedom and played a role in the establishment of the Church of England.

In the 18th century, the name Ramsdale was associated with the village of Ramsdale in Derbyshire, which likely derived its name from the surname. One of the earliest recorded residents of the village was John Ramsdale (1710-1785), a farmer and landowner.

During the 19th century, the Ramsdale family produced several prominent members, including Henry Ramsdale (1820-1892), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, and Emily Ramsdale (1845-1915), a pioneering female doctor and campaigner for women's rights.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the surname Ramsdale throughout history. The name has a rich heritage rooted in the English countryside and has been carried by notable figures across various fields and time periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ramsdale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ramsdale surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 348 Ramsdales recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.19x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 348 4.19x
Yorkshire 92 1.33x
Middlesex 56 0.80x
Durham 39 1.87x
Staffordshire 34 1.44x
Derbyshire 28 2.56x
Lincolnshire 27 2.41x
Kent 17 0.71x
Norfolk 16 1.49x
Surrey 16 0.47x
Glamorgan 11 0.90x
Cheshire 8 0.52x
Essex 7 0.51x
Stirlingshire 4 1.55x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.68x
Angus 2 0.31x
Devon 2 0.14x
Somerset 2 0.18x
Flintshire 1 0.53x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.11x
Suffolk 1 0.12x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wigan in Lancashire leads with 65 Ramsdales recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.04x.

Place Total Index
Wigan 65 56.04x
Hindley 40 113.06x
Bedford 30 172.81x
Pennington In Leigh 27 169.60x
Darlington 25 31.12x
Westleigh 22 116.71x
Hackney London 18 4.59x
Staveley 16 82.30x
Barton Upon Irwell 13 20.81x
Cannock 13 31.55x
Westhoughton 13 58.69x
Great Grimsby 12 16.91x
Sculcoates 12 10.92x
Sutton 12 43.12x
Blackburn 11 4.98x
Roath 11 19.89x
Tottenham 11 9.88x
Lostock 10 534.76x
Walsoken 10 154.56x
Westoe 10 8.48x
Armley 9 29.44x
Sittingbourne 9 47.77x
Holy Trinity 8 4.80x
Manchester 8 2.14x
Ruswarp Hawsker Cum 8 467.84x
Sevenoaks 8 41.34x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 8 33.49x
West Bromwich 8 5.92x
Battersea 7 2.72x
Clee With Weelsby 7 28.59x
Openshaw 7 18.01x
Parr 7 23.58x
Stokesley 7 162.04x
Barrow In Furness 6 5.32x
Broughton In Salford 6 7.91x
Everton 6 2.27x
Newby Wiske 6 1153.85x
Pemberton 6 18.13x
St Mary Le Strand 6 270.27x
St Marylebone London 6 1.61x
Wolverhampton 6 3.31x
York St Mary 6 20.90x
Brindle 5 174.83x
Claylane 5 32.85x
Colchester St Leonard 5 112.61x
Downham Market 5 67.66x
Duxbury 5 649.35x
Haydock 5 34.97x
Westminster St John 5 5.87x
Ashton In Makerfield 4 16.93x
Carlton In Stokesley 4 655.74x
Doncaster 4 7.90x
Egglescliffe 4 254.78x
Lambeth 4 0.66x
Larbert 4 25.94x
Monks Coppenhall 4 6.87x
Pendleton In Salford 4 4.05x
Scunthorpe 4 79.52x
Atherton 3 9.93x
Chesterfield 3 7.31x
Cudworth 3 120.00x
Kirkleatham 3 32.05x
Louth 3 11.71x
Oldham 3 1.12x
South Otterington 3 357.14x
Streatham 3 5.78x
Whorlton 3 182.93x
Burnley 2 2.86x
Burton Upon Trent 2 3.62x
Clifton 2 32.10x
East Stonehouse 2 6.97x
Hurdsfield 2 21.05x
Hutton Rudby 2 96.62x
Leeds 2 0.51x
Liff Benvie 2 2.03x
Normanton 2 21.62x
Paddington London 2 0.78x
West Ella 2 740.74x
Widnes 2 3.34x
Yeovil 2 8.74x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ramsdale surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ramsdale surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 40
William 40
James 38
Thomas 28
Joseph 27
George 21
Robert 14
Henry 11
Samuel 9
Frederick 7
Albert 6
Arthur 6
Ralph 6
Alfred 5
Charles 5
Edward 5
Richard 4
Benjamin 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
Isaac 3
Josiah 3
Peter 3
Solomon 3
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Hy. 2
Joshua 2
Major 2
Mark 2
Michael 2
Seth 2
Walter 2
Abram 1
Alice 1
Christopher 1
Dalton 1
David 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.W. 1
Heny. 1
Jas. 1
Marshall 1
Moses 1
Saml.Wm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Ramsdale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ramsdale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 717 people were recorded with the Ramsdale surname. That placed it at #5,079 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ramsdale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 929 in 2016. That gives Ramsdale a modern rank of #6,153.

What does the Ramsdale surname mean?

From a valley where wild garlic grew.

What does the Ramsdale map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ramsdale bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.