| ![Show Contents]() Ransome History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of RansomeWhat does the name Ransome mean? The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought the Ransome family name to the British Isles. Ransome comes from the Anglo-Norman given name Randolph. The name also derives from the Old English word randim, meaning riverbank, and indicates that the original bearer of the name live near such a geographic feature. Early Origins of the Ransome familyThe surname Ransome was first found in Suffolk where the name was derived from a place named Ransham, "though I find no place so called." 1 With regard to the more contemporary meaning of the word ransom, and continuing from this source, the author sites Mr. Ferguson "what curious changes, the whirligig of time brings round. We take our money to the descendant of the old sea-robber to take care of for us - Ramson & Co., bankers, Pal Mall. " 1 Early History of the Ransome familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ransome research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ransome History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ransome Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Ransom, Ransome, Ranson and others. Early Notables of the Ransome familyMore information is included under the topic Early Ransome Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ransome RankingIn the United States, the name Ransome is the 13,672nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2
| Ransome migration to the United States | + |
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Ransome or a variant listed above:
Ransome Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- James Ransome, who settled in Virginia in 1682
| Ransome migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Ransome Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. Samuel Ransome, English convict who was convicted in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Earl Grey" on 4th October 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3
- Louisa Ransome, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Posthumous" in 1849 4
- Walter Ransome, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Posthumous" in 1849 4
- George Ransome, aged 23, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hydaspes" in 1851 5
- Hannah Ransome, aged 22, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hydaspes" in 1851 5
| Ransome migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Ransome Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Henry J. Ransome, aged 19, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Waimea" in 1876
| Contemporary Notables of the name Ransome (post 1700) | + |
- Frederick Leslie Ransome Ph.D. (1868-1935), English-born, American geologist
- Frederick Ransome (1818-1893), English inventor and industrialist, creator of Ransome's artificial stone
- James Ransome (1782-1849), English member of the Ransomes steel and agricultural equipment-making family of Ipswich
- Robert Ransome (1753-1830), English iron founder in Norwich and later Ipswich of Ransomes in 1789 which later became Ransomes, Sims and Jeffries, a major British agricultural machinery maker
- Ernest Leslie Ransome (1852-1917), English-born engineer, architect, and early innovator in reinforced concrete building techniques
- Prunella Ransome (1943-2002), English actress from Croydon, Surrey
- Arthur Mitchell Ransome (1884-1967), English writer best known for his book "Swallows and Amazons"(1931)
- Sir Gordon Ransome, English professor at the University of Singapore
- Lewis Ransome Freeman (1878-1960), American explorer, journalist and war correspondent
- Ransome Gillet Holdredge (1836-1899), American painter who specialized in Northern California landscapes
| Historic Events for the Ransome family | + |
- Frederick J. Ransome, British Leading Cook with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 6
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