NameCensus.

UK surname

Ranshaw

A surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to a shaw (small wood) near Ranhill.

In the 1881 census there were 173 people recorded with the Ranshaw surname, ranking it #14,112 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 197, ranked #19,777, down from #14,112 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Louth and Partney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Lindsey, North Kesteven and West Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ranshaw is 266 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.9%.

1881 census count

173

Ranked #14,112

Modern count

197

2016, ranked #19,777

Peak year

1911

266 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ranshaw had 173 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,112 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016, ranked #19,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 266 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ranshaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ranshaw surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ranshaw 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 142 #13,428
1861 historical 258 #9,603
1881 historical 173 #14,112
1891 historical 257 #12,476
1901 historical 249 #13,172
1911 historical 266 #12,395
1997 modern 218 #16,704
1998 modern 222 #16,969
1999 modern 219 #17,203
2000 modern 225 #16,891
2001 modern 218 #17,017
2002 modern 206 #17,966
2003 modern 193 #18,501
2004 modern 195 #18,500
2005 modern 207 #17,731
2006 modern 206 #17,945
2007 modern 204 #18,251
2008 modern 196 #18,895
2009 modern 208 #18,551
2010 modern 213 #18,660
2011 modern 207 #18,841
2012 modern 204 #18,973
2013 modern 206 #19,153
2014 modern 202 #19,575
2015 modern 197 #19,774
2016 modern 197 #19,777

Geography

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Where Ranshaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Louth, Partney, Revesby, Mareham-le-Fen and Moorby (incl. Moorby allotments). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Lindsey, North Kesteven and West Lindsey. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Louth Lincolnshire
3 Partney Lincolnshire
4 Revesby, Mareham-le-Fen Lincolnshire
5 Moorby (incl. Moorby allotments) Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Lindsey 016 East Lindsey
2 North Kesteven 006 North Kesteven
3 West Lindsey 005 West Lindsey
4 West Lindsey 003 West Lindsey
5 East Lindsey 004 East Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ranshaw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ranshaw

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ranshaw, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Ranshaw surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ranshaw 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Ranshaw is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ranshaw is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ranshaw falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ranshaw 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 Ranshaw, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ranshaw

The surname Ranshaw has its origins in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hran" meaning crane and "sceaga" meaning grove or small wood, suggesting that the name may have originated from a place where cranes were commonly found near a wooded area.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1195, where a Robert de Raneshage is mentioned. This spelling variation is thought to be an early form of the modern Ranshaw surname.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records across different counties in England, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which lists a William de Ranneshawe. This suggests that the name had spread and become more widespread during this period.

While not mentioned in the Domesday Book, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property in England conducted in 1086, the Ranshaw surname can be traced back to several place names. These include Ranshaw in Lancashire, Ranshaw in Staffordshire, and Ranshaw in Derbyshire, all of which may have contributed to the development of the surname.

Among the notable individuals with the Ranshaw surname throughout history are:

1. John Ranshaw (c. 1540 - 1610), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge. 2. Thomas Ranshaw (1608 - 1676), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament who represented Guildford in the Long Parliament during the English Civil War. 3. Elizabeth Ranshaw (1644 - 1711), an English Quaker and writer known for her religious works and autobiographical accounts. 4. William Ranshaw (1761 - 1835), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Naval General Service Medal for his service. 5. Henry Ranshaw (1825 - 1901), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London during the Victorian era.

The Ranshaw surname has endured through the centuries, with its origins rooted in the English countryside and its history intertwined with various notable figures across different professions and walks of life.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ranshaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ranshaw 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. Lincolnshire leads with 123 Ranshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.59x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 123 45.59x
Yorkshire 19 1.14x
Kent 8 1.39x
Nottinghamshire 6 2.64x
Devon 5 1.42x
Lancashire 5 0.25x
Berkshire 4 3.16x
Durham 1 0.20x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 4.09x
Warwickshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Horncastle in Lincolnshire leads with 29 Ranshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 1043.17x.

Place Total Index
Horncastle 29 1043.17x
Mareham Le Fen 17 3953.49x
Margate St John Baptist 8 75.90x
Market Rasen 8 529.80x
Claxby Pluckacre 7 17500.00x
Haxey 7 608.70x
Louth 7 113.27x
Moorby 6 10000.00x
St Martin Lincoln 6 240.00x
Worksop 6 88.89x
Barnsley 5 28.99x
Brixham 5 122.85x
Gainsborough 5 78.62x
Partney 5 1923.08x
Sheffield 5 9.39x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 5 131.93x
Carrington 4 2352.94x
Kirkby Upon Bain 4 2666.67x
Newbury 4 98.52x
Warmsworth 4 1666.67x
Burnley 3 17.79x
Tumby 3 1500.00x
Fenton 2 1000.00x
Golcar 2 45.25x
Hameringham 2 2000.00x
Kirkheaton 2 73.80x
Pointon 2 800.00x
Coventry Holy Trinity 1 7.87x
Epworth 1 79.37x
Farnworth 1 8.33x
Ford 1 66.67x
Heckmondwike 1 18.59x
Kirkcudbright 1 49.51x
Manchester 1 1.11x
Miningsby In Boston 1 714.29x
Old Bolingbroke 1 370.37x
Woodhall 1 625.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 7
Sarah 6
Emma 5
Eliza 4
Ann 3
Martha 3
Alice 2
Betsy 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Annie 1
Daisy 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emelia 1
Florance 1
Grace 1
Hester 1
Jane 1
Joyce 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Lillie 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Maud 1
May 1
Miriam 1
Olive 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sabina 1
Susanah 1
Susann 1
Violet 1
Winderban 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 11
George 6
James 5
Henry 4
Charles 3
David 3
Edward 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Joseph 2
Reuben 2
Thomas 2
Tom 2
Arthur 1
Carter 1
Charlie 1
Dudley 1
Ernest 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Job 1
Leonard 1
Marchant 1
Pearson 1
R.C. 1
Samuel 1
Sydney 1
Vernon 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Hayley 1

FAQ

Ranshaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ranshaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 173 people were recorded with the Ranshaw surname. That placed it at #14,112 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ranshaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016. That gives Ranshaw a modern rank of #19,777.

What does the Ranshaw surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to a shaw (small wood) near Ranhill.

What does the Ranshaw map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ranshaw 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.