2000
#38,992
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 532
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.20
Very Rare Last name
Ramstad
A Norwegian surname derived from the Old Norse words "ram" (ram or male sheep) and "stadr" (place or farm), likely denoting an ancestral location or residence.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 581 Americans carry the last name Ramstad. That puts it at #45,457 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 589,939 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ramstad surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
581
1 in 589,939
Census rank
#45,457
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
507
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 507 bearers of the surname Ramstad in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 45457th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ramstad, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ramstad
The surname Ramstad is of Norwegian origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. Derived from the Old Norse words "ramr," meaning "strong" or "brave," and "stadr," signifying a place or location, it suggests a connection to a person or place renowned for strength and valor.
The earliest documented instances of the Ramstad surname can be found in records from the 13th and 14th centuries, primarily concentrated in the western coastal regions of Norway. These areas were known for their robust maritime traditions and the hardiness of their inhabitants, lending credence to the name's connotations of fortitude.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Ramstad name was Thorvald Ramstad, a Norwegian seafarer and explorer who embarked on voyages to Greenland and Vinland (present-day Newfoundland, Canada) in the late 10th century. His name is recorded in the Icelandic sagas, which recount the exploits of Norse adventurers during this era.
In the 15th century, the Ramstad surname appeared in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian documents and charters. This suggests that the name had gained a degree of prominence and recognition within Norwegian society by that time.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, several individuals bearing the Ramstad surname played notable roles in Norwegian history. Ingrid Ramstad (1550-1621) was a renowned herbalist and healer, renowned for her knowledge of medicinal plants and traditional remedies. Halvor Ramstad (1612-1689) was a respected Lutheran clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Bergen from 1675 until his death.
In more recent times, the name Ramstad has been associated with notable figures in various fields. Knut Ramstad (1844-1924) was a prominent Norwegian politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Norway from 1892 to 1893. Sigrid Ramstad (1874-1958) was a celebrated Norwegian artist and painter, known for her vibrant depictions of rural life and landscapes.
While the Ramstad surname has its origins in Norway, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural diffusion. However, its Norwegian roots and associations with strength, bravery, and resilience remain deeply ingrained in its historical legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ramstad
Among Census respondents with the surname Ramstad, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Ramstad bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ramstad surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 464
- Two or more races4.5% · 23
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4% · 7
- Black or African American0.4% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ramstad
Ramstad appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#41,164
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 529
-3 bearers (-0.6%)
Per 100,000 0.18
Rank movement Down 2,172 places
2020
#45,457
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 507
-22 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Down 4,293 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #38,992 | 532 | 0.20 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #41,164 | 529 | 0.18 | -3 bearers (-0.6%) | Down 2,172 places |
| 2020 | #45,457 | 507 | 0.17 | -22 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 4,293 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ramstad surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #41,164 | #45,457 | -10.4% |
| Count | 529 | 507 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.18 | 0.17 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ramstad bearers went from 529 to 507 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 4,293 positions in the national ranking, going from #41,164 to #45,457.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Ramstad
FAQ
Ramstad surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ramstad?
Name Census estimates that about 581 living Americans carry the surname Ramstad. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 589,939 residents.
How common is Ramstad?
Ramstad ranks #45,457 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 507 people with the surname Ramstad. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (581), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.17 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Ramstad.
Has Ramstad become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ramstad went from 529 recorded bearers to 507. That is a decrease of 22 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #41,164 to #45,457.
What does the Census say about the background of Ramstad?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ramstad, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Hispanic (1.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ramstad in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (464 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ramstad appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Two or More Races (4.5%), Hispanic (1.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ramstad (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ramstad mean?
A Norwegian surname derived from the Old Norse words "ram" (ram or male sheep) and "stadr" (place or farm), likely denoting an ancestral location or residence. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ramstad (0.17 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Ramstad?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.