Ransown is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. Ransown is a name that 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.
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Early Origins of the Ransown family
The surname Ransown 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
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Early History of the Ransown family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ransown research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ransown History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Ransown Spelling Variations
Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Ransom, Ransome, Ranson and others.
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Early Notables of the Ransown family
More information is included under the topic Early Ransown Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Ransown family
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Ransown or a variant listed above were: Robert Ranson, who came to Virginia in 1635; Jonas Ranson settled in New York in 1659; James Ransome settled in Virginia in 1682; Elizabeth Ransom, who arrived in Virginia in 1768 with her husband.
England
