Show ContentsRamsden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Ramsden comes from when the family resided in the village of Ramsden found in various locations in England including the counties of Essex, Oxford, Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire. This local name was originally derived from the Old English word ramden which refers to those individuals who lived in the small glen.

Early Origins of the Ramsden family

The surname Ramsden was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Ramsden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ramsden research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1612, 1648, 1659, 1660, 1665, 1689 and 1690 are included under the topic Early Ramsden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ramsden Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Ramsden include Ramsden, Ramsdon and others.

Early Notables of the Ramsden family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • John Ramsden (ca.1612-1665), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1659 and 1660

Migration of the Ramsden family to Ireland

Some of the Ramsden family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Ramsden migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Ramsden Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Jon Ramsden, who landed in Virginia in 1642 1
  • John Ramsden, who settled in Virginia in 1642
Ramsden Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mary Ramsden, her husband and four children, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1820
  • John Ramsden, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1863 1
  • Miss Marinda Ramsden, aged 11, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
  • Mrs. Mary A. Ramsden, aged 25, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
  • Thomas Ramsden, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1866 1
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Ramsden Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Alfred Ramsden, aged 29, who landed in America from Sheffield, in 1904
  • Clara Ramsden, aged 42, who landed in America from Huddersfield, in 1905
  • Arthur Ramsden, aged 21, who immigrated to America from Leeds, in 1906
  • Caryl John Ramsden, aged 38, who landed in America from London, England, in 1907
  • Annie Ramsden, aged 32, who settled in America from Manchester, England, in 1909
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ramsden migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Ramsden Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Ramsden, British Convict who was convicted in Leeds, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 6th April 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 2
  • Mr. John Ramsden, (b. 1809), aged 21, English labourer who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 14 years for robbery with violence, transported aboard the "Dunvegan Castle" on 13th March 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
  • Mr. Richard Ramsden, (Rainsdon) who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 4th August 1836, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
  • Mr. Charles Ramsden, English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for 15 years, transported aboard the "Blundell" on 13th March 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5
  • Mr. Samuel Ramsden, (b. 1809), aged 35, English tailor who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for 15 years for highway robbery, transported aboard the "Blundell" on 13th March 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ramsden 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:

Ramsden Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Abraham Ramsden, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "African" in 1860
  • James Ramsden, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "British King" in 1883

Ramsden migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 6
Ramsden Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Margaret Ramsden, who arrived in Barbados with her husband in 1665

Contemporary Notables of the name Ramsden (post 1700) +

  • Marvin Lee Ramsden (1919-1942), American seaman killed in action, eponym of the USS Ramsden (DE-382)
  • Frances Ramsden (1920-2000), American actress
  • Jesse Ramsden (1735-1800), English astronomical and scientific instrument maker, born at Salterhebble, a suburb of Halifax in Yorkshire
  • Barney Ramsden (1917-1990), English professional footballer
  • James Edward Ramsden PC (1923-2020), British Conservative politician, the last person to hold the office of Secretary of State for War (1963-1964)
  • William Havelock Ramsden (b. 1888), British Army commander during the Second World War
  • Eugene Joseph Squire Hargreaves Ramsden (1883-1955), British politician, 1st Baron Ramsden
  • George Taylor Ramsden (1879-1936), British soldier, member of the U.K. parliament
  • Horace Edward Ramsden (1878-1948), South African recipient of the Victoria Cross for deeds in the Boer War
  • Sir James Ramsden (1822-1896), British civil engineer, industrialist, and civic leader


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dunvegan-castle
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blundell
  6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies


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