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Ramsey Family History

Ramsey Surname Meaning

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.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Ramsey family from?

You can see how Ramsey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ramsey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ramsey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 290 Ramsey families living in Ontario. This was about 40% of all the recorded Ramsey's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Ramsey families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ramsey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Ramsey ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Ramsey. 32% of Ramsey men worked as a Farmer and 12% of Ramsey women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ramsey were Carpenter and Teacher.

View Census Data for Ramsey | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    32%
  • Laborer
    9%
  • Labourer
    9%
  • Carpenter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    12%
  • Domestic
    10%
  • Clerk
    10%
  • Teacher
    8%

What Ramsey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 343,000 census records available for the last name Ramsey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ramsey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Ramsey

Passenger Lists

There are 26,000 immigration records available for the last name Ramsey. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ramsey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 71,000 military records available for the last name Ramsey. For the veterans among your Ramsey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ramsey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ramsey family history

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What is the average Ramsey lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Ramsey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Ramsey in 1941 was 34, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ramsey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ramsey ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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