Ransom or Ransome is an English surname, also found in some trade names and military company names; it might derive either from the noun "ransom" or from contraction of "Ranulf's son". Notable people with the surname include:

Alured Ransom (1908–1992), American college football coach Ben Ransom (born 1992), English rugby union player Ben Ransom (musician), Australian country music songwriter and entertainer Bill Ransom (born 1945), American science fiction writer Brayton H. Ransom (1879–1925), American zoologist and parasitologist Brian Ransom (politician) (1940–2020), Canadian politician Brian Ransom (gridiron football) (born 1960), American player of gridiron football Britt Ransom (born 1987), American artist and academic Candice F. Ransom (born 1952), American author Caroline L. Ormes Ransom (1826–1910), American painter Cody Ransom (born 1976), American baseball player David M. Ransom (1938–2003), American diplomat Derrick Ransom (born 1976), American football player Dunbar R. Ransom (1831–1897), United States Army officer Dustin Ransom (born 1986), American musician and film composer Eliza Taylor Ransom (1863–1955), Canadian-American physician Emma S. Ransom (1864-1943), African-American educator and clubwoman Epaphroditus Ransom (1798–1859), American state governor and state supreme court justice Freeman Ransom (1880–1947), American lawyer, civil rights advocate, and businessman Gene Ransom (1957–2022), American basketball player Harry Ransom (academic administrator) (1908–1976), chancellor of the University of Texas System Harry Ransom (footballer) (born 1999), English professional footballer Henry Ransom (1911–1987), American golfer Holly Ransom (born 1990), Australian public speaker, author and curator James Ransom (born 1971), Canadian fencer James Ransom (Regulator) (c. 1740–1810), American sheriff and participant in the Regulator movement in colonial America Jane Ransom, American popular science writer Jeff Ransom (born 1960), American baseball player Jessica Ransom (born 1981), British actress and writer Joanna Houston Ransom (1897–1980), American educator John Crowe Ransom (1888–1974), American poet and academic Josephine Ransom (1879–1960), Australian Theosophist and writer Julia Ransom (born 1993), Canadian biathlete Kim Ransom, Colorado politician Kristen Ransom, American computer engineer and social entrepreneur Lathan Ransom (born 2002), American football player Matt W. Ransom (1826–1904), American state politician and Civil War general Melanie Ransom (living), Canadian politician Mike Ransom (born 1977), American musician P. J. G. Ransom (1935–2019), British non-fiction author Reverdy Cassius Ransom (1861–1959), African American Christian socialist, civil rights activist, and Methodist bishop Rhodesia Ransom, American politician Richard Ransom (1919–2016), American businessman Ro Ransom (born 1993), American rapper Robert Ransom Jr. (1828–1892), U.S. senator, civil engineer, and Civil War major general Roberto Ransom (born 1960), Mexican writer Robin Ransom (born 1967), American judge Ronald Ransom (1882–1947), American lawyer and businessman Samuel Ransom (1883–1970), American athlete Scott Ransom, American physician Sheila Kanieson Ransom (born 1954), American artist Shorty Ransom (1898–1959), American football coach and athletics administrator Terrell Ransom Jr. (born 2003), American actor Thomas E. G. Ransom (1834–1864), American surveyor, civil engineer, real estate speculator, and Civil War general Thomas Ransom (coach) (1870–1946), American football and basketball coach Truman B. Ransom (1802–1847), American educator and military officer Victor Ransom (1917—1998), English cricketer Victoria Ransom, New Zealand entrepreneur Willard Ransom (1916–1995), American lawyer, businessman, civic leader and civil rights activist William Ransom (1826–1914), British botanist, pharmacist and archaeologist William Henry Ransom (1824–1907), English physician and embryologist

Fictional characters Elwin Ransom, in C. S. Lewis's Space Trilogy Michael Ransom, from the films Strike Commando and Strike Commando 2 Captain Jack Ransom in Star Trek: Lower Decks

See also Ransome (surname)