NameCensus.

UK surname

Ransome

A surname derived from Old French "rançon" meaning ransom or fine, originally denoting someone who paid a fee to leave serfdom.

In the 1881 census there were 946 people recorded with the Ransome surname, ranking it #4,079 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,339, ranked #4,502, down from #4,079 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Shernborne, Wood Dalling and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Selby, South Norfolk and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ransome is 1,413 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.5%.

1881 census count

946

Ranked #4,079

Modern count

1,339

2016, ranked #4,502

Peak year

2010

1,413 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ransome had 946 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,079 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,339 in 2016, ranked #4,502.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,122 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ransome surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ransome surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ransome 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 323 #7,198
1861 historical 452 #5,730
1881 historical 946 #4,079
1891 historical 980 #4,218
1901 historical 1,122 #4,319
1911 historical 1,090 #4,257
1997 modern 1,360 #4,234
1998 modern 1,404 #4,265
1999 modern 1,409 #4,280
2000 modern 1,366 #4,381
2001 modern 1,350 #4,330
2002 modern 1,375 #4,353
2003 modern 1,322 #4,420
2004 modern 1,354 #4,341
2005 modern 1,308 #4,410
2006 modern 1,329 #4,372
2007 modern 1,361 #4,332
2008 modern 1,384 #4,292
2009 modern 1,394 #4,346
2010 modern 1,413 #4,370
2011 modern 1,383 #4,404
2012 modern 1,367 #4,389
2013 modern 1,397 #4,381
2014 modern 1,391 #4,418
2015 modern 1,357 #4,462
2016 modern 1,339 #4,502

Geography

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Where Ransomes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Shernborne, Wood Dalling, London parishes, Cowling and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Selby, South Norfolk, Mid Suffolk, Wiltshire and Redcar and Cleveland. 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 Shernborne Norfolk
2 Wood Dalling Norfolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Cowling Suffolk
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Selby 004 Selby
2 South Norfolk 013 South Norfolk
3 Mid Suffolk 012 Mid Suffolk
4 Wiltshire 037 Wiltshire
5 Redcar and Cleveland 003 Redcar and Cleveland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ransome

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ransome

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ransome, 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 Ransome surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ransome 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ransome 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

Ransome is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ransome falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ransome

The surname Ransome has its origins in England and dates back to the late medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words 'ra' meaning roe deer and 'holme' meaning a river island or dry ground surrounded by marsh or water. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a small island or raised ground where deer roamed.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it is spelled as 'Ranholm'. In the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, the name is listed as 'Raunholm'. These variations highlight the evolution of the spelling over time.

The Ransome surname can be traced back to several locations in England, including Ransom in Nottinghamshire, Ransom in Derbyshire, and Ransome in Lincolnshire. The name is also linked to the village of Ramsholt in Suffolk, which was recorded as 'Raundesholte' in the Domesday Book of 1086.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John Ransom, who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1195. In the 13th century, a man named William Ransom was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1221.

Notable historical figures with the Ransome surname include:

1. Robert Ransome (1753-1830), an English agricultural engineer and founder of the Ransome's company, which manufactured agricultural machinery. 2. James Ransome (1782-1849), an English ironfounder and agricultural engineer, son of Robert Ransome. 3. Frederick Ransome (1868-1935), a British civil engineer and inventor of the Ransome system of reinforced concrete construction. 4. Arthur Ransome (1884-1967), a renowned English author and journalist, best known for his Swallows and Amazons series of children's books. 5. Hilda Ransome (1876-1951), a British physician and women's rights activist, known for her work in promoting birth control and family planning.

The Ransome surname has a rich history rooted in the English countryside and has been associated with various occupations, including engineering, agriculture, and literature, over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ransome families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ransome 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. Norfolk leads with 284 Ransomes recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.02x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 284 20.02x
Suffolk 80 7.12x
Middlesex 74 0.80x
Yorkshire 73 0.80x
Surrey 46 1.02x
Cambridgeshire 42 7.19x
Kent 41 1.30x
Wiltshire 36 4.41x
Lancashire 33 0.30x
Hampshire 32 1.69x
Durham 31 1.13x
Essex 26 1.43x
Sussex 25 1.61x
Cumberland 13 1.64x
Warwickshire 13 0.56x
Cheshire 11 0.54x
Northamptonshire 11 1.27x
Gloucestershire 10 0.55x
Derbyshire 9 0.62x
Hertfordshire 9 1.41x
Lincolnshire 9 0.61x
Monmouthshire 5 0.75x
Worcestershire 5 0.41x
Devon 4 0.21x
Staffordshire 4 0.13x
Bedfordshire 3 0.63x
Radnorshire 3 4.03x
Somerset 3 0.20x
Berkshire 2 0.29x
Leicestershire 2 0.20x
Northumberland 2 0.15x
Dorset 1 0.17x
Herefordshire 1 0.26x
Oxfordshire 1 0.18x
Royal Navy 1 0.91x
Rutland 1 1.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shernborne in Norfolk leads with 36 Ransomes recorded in 1881 and an index of 7058.82x.

Place Total Index
Shernborne 36 7058.82x
Harpley 29 2164.18x
Heigham 27 35.45x
Doddington 18 419.58x
Holt 17 350.52x
Stockton On Tees 17 12.85x
Wood Dalling 17 1111.11x
Cowlinge 16 744.19x
Holkham 16 941.18x
Warminster 16 89.49x
Battersea 15 4.42x
Bradfield 13 36.88x
Cromer 13 257.94x
Great Yarmouth 12 10.21x
Kirkoswald 12 641.71x
St Pancras London 12 1.62x
Helmsley 11 224.49x
Haddenham 10 181.82x
Paddington London 10 2.95x
Thorndon All Sts 10 495.05x
Wells Next Sea 10 120.92x
Wilbarston In Market 10 621.12x
All Saints Cambridge 9 218.98x
Hingham 9 183.30x
Ipswich St Margaret 9 23.60x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 9 86.29x
Northwood 9 33.41x
Rollesby 9 505.62x
Slyne With Hest 9 937.50x
South Stoneham 9 21.94x
Dunham Massey 8 128.21x
Ipswich St Peter 8 52.88x
Linthorpe 8 14.66x
Mile End Old Town 8 5.49x
Tunstall 8 941.18x
Castle Rising 7 630.63x
Chislehurst 7 41.47x
Compton Bassett 7 593.22x
Frinton 7 4117.65x
Harwich St Nicholas 7 49.75x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 7 16.43x
Lambeth 7 0.87x
Norton Bavant 7 843.37x
Norwich St George Colegate 7 135.66x
South Lynn 7 43.72x
Ackworth 6 85.35x
Binley 6 967.74x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 3.52x
Litchurch 6 10.32x
St George Hanover 6 4.98x
Thetford St Mary 6 155.44x
Wandsworth 6 6.75x
Barningham 5 375.94x
Blundeston 5 221.24x
Cranbrook 5 37.48x
Harrow On The Hill 5 27.13x
Huddleston Cum Lumby 5 666.67x
North Meols 5 4.66x
Orpington 5 51.87x
Southampton St Mary 5 4.20x
St Marylebone London 5 1.01x
West Thurrock 5 82.51x
Westminster St John 5 4.45x
Westoe 5 3.21x
Yardley 5 16.22x
Accrington 4 4.02x
Birmingham 4 0.52x
Chapel Allerton 4 29.24x
Fordham 4 689.66x
Gresham 4 333.33x
Hastings St Mary 4 10.33x
Heaton Norris 4 6.42x
Islington London 4 0.45x
Marden 4 54.20x
Newmarket St Mary 4 46.35x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 4 43.43x
Pocklington 4 46.35x
Preston Next Faversham 4 54.05x
Romsey Extra 4 35.56x
Tottenham 4 2.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 51
William 51
Thomas 28
George 25
Henry 23
James 23
Robert 23
Charles 17
Arthur 16
Walter 10
Alfred 9
Edward 9
Frederick 9
Herbert 9
Harry 8
Albert 7
Richard 7
Samuel 7
Joseph 6
Francis 4
Edwin 3
Elijah 3
Ernest 3
Isaac 3
Robt. 3
Allen 2
Bernard 2
Bertram 2
David 2
Dennis 2
Edmund 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Harold 2
Moses 2
Stephen 2
Vincent 2
Andrew 1
Andw.Sirkey 1
Cyril 1
Daniel 1
Elias 1
Enoch 1
Ezra 1
Felix 1
Hopes 1
Horace 1
Horatio 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Ransome surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ransome surname in 1881?

In 1881, 946 people were recorded with the Ransome surname. That placed it at #4,079 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ransome surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,339 in 2016. That gives Ransome a modern rank of #4,502.

What does the Ransome surname mean?

A surname derived from Old French "rançon" meaning ransom or fine, originally denoting someone who paid a fee to leave serfdom.

What does the Ransome map show?

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