NameCensus.

UK surname

Eld

A surname derived from a term meaning "old" or "elder."

In the 1881 census there were 183 people recorded with the Eld surname, ranking it #13,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #13,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stoke, Dudley and Wolstanton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stafford, Wokingham and Blaby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Eld is 186 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 39.3%.

1881 census count

183

Ranked #13,596

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

1901

186 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Eld had 183 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 186 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Eld surname distribution map

The map shows where the Eld surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Eld surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Eld over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 138 #13,745
1881 historical 183 #13,596
1891 historical 2 #34,436
1901 historical 186 #15,839
1997 modern 96 #27,490
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 121 #24,855
2000 modern 115 #25,591
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 115 #25,749
2003 modern 109 #26,361
2004 modern 116 #25,580
2005 modern 105 #27,203
2006 modern 104 #27,646
2007 modern 109 #27,253
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 108 #28,311
2010 modern 114 #28,017
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 104 #29,543
2013 modern 112 #28,675
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 107 #29,708
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

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Where Elds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stoke, Dudley, Wolstanton, Belgrave and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stafford, Wokingham, Blaby, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Bristol. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Stoke Warwickshire
2 Dudley Staffordshire
3 Wolstanton Staffordshire
4 Belgrave Leicestershire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stafford 012 Stafford
2 Wokingham 019 Wokingham
3 Blaby 005 Blaby
4 Newcastle-under-Lyme 002 Newcastle-under-Lyme
5 Bristol 039 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Eld

These lists show first names that appear often with the Eld surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Eld

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Eld, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Eld surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Eld household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Eld is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Eld is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Eld falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Eld is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Eld, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Eld

The surname ELD has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "eld," meaning "old age" or "antiquity." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive surname, perhaps referring to an elderly person or someone of advanced years.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1166, where a person named Robertus Eld is mentioned. This document, which recorded financial transactions and tax records, provides valuable insights into the historical presence of the name in medieval England.

The surname ELD also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a census-like record from 1273, where a person named Hugo Eld is listed. This further reinforces the early use of the name in different regions of England during the Middle Ages.

In the 14th century, the surname ELD is documented in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a certain William Eld is mentioned in the year 1317. These records, which documented legal proceedings and transactions related to manorial estates, offer a glimpse into the lives of individuals bearing the name during that era.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname ELD was Sir John Eld, a prominent English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London during the 16th century. He was born around 1520 and played a significant role in the city's trade and commerce during his lifetime.

Another individual of note was Richard Eld, a renowned English scholar and writer who lived in the 17th century. Born in 1603, he is best known for his work "The Excellent Antiquity of Parliament," which explored the history and significance of the English parliament.

In the 18th century, the surname ELD was associated with places like Eldwick, a village in West Yorkshire, which derived its name from the Old English words "eld" and "wic," meaning "old village" or "old dwelling place." This connection to place names further reinforces the historical roots of the surname.

Other notable individuals with the surname ELD include William Eld (1670-1734), an English theologian and author, and Henry Eld (1784-1860), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became an administrator in the East India Company.

Throughout its history, the surname ELD has been subject to various spelling variations, such as Elde, Ealde, and Eld, reflecting the evolution of language and regional differences in pronunciation and written records.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Eld families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Eld surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Staffordshire leads with 57 Elds recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.31x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 57 9.31x
Leicestershire 36 17.90x
Warwickshire 34 7.43x
Surrey 16 1.81x
Worcestershire 14 5.91x
Middlesex 11 0.61x
Lancashire 7 0.33x
Midlothian 3 1.23x
Sussex 3 0.98x
Hampshire 2 0.54x
Dorset 1 0.84x
Montgomeryshire 1 2.41x
Somerset 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 20 Elds recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.77x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 20 40.77x
Wolstanton 15 80.65x
Belgrave 11 242.29x
Stoke 11 1222.22x
Walsall Foreign 11 34.78x
Coventry Holy Trinity 9 65.89x
West Bromwich 9 25.67x
Burslem 8 45.61x
Castle Church 8 217.39x
Coventry St Michael 8 54.42x
Dudley 8 27.78x
Morden 7 1590.91x
Bermondsey 6 11.11x
St Pancras London 6 4.11x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 14.62x
Leamington Priors 4 35.52x
Leicester St Mary 4 24.62x
Eastbourne 3 21.32x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 3.07x
Kidderminster Borough 3 21.63x
Seighford 3 612.24x
Bethnal Green London 2 2.54x
Camberwell 2 1.73x
Everton 2 2.92x
Foleshill 2 41.58x
Islington London 2 1.14x
Kingswinford 2 9.00x
Portsea 2 2.74x
Whistones 2 116.28x
Barton Under Needwood 1 90.09x
Bedminster 1 3.64x
Belbroughton 1 81.30x
Churchstoke 1 128.21x
Lambeth 1 0.63x
Melcombe Regis 1 20.28x
Scraptoft 1 1250.00x
St Marylebone London 1 1.03x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Eld surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Eld surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 10
Joseph 10
Thomas 7
George 6
William 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
James 4
Francis 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Frederick 2
Samuel 2
Willm. 2
Aquila 1
Chas. 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ephriam 1
Frank 1
Fredk.Ernest 1
Harrie 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Percy 1
Pheobe 1
Revd.Francis 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Thos.G. 1
Tom 1
Travis 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Eld surname: questions and answers

How common was the Eld surname in 1881?

In 1881, 183 people were recorded with the Eld surname. That placed it at #13,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Eld surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Eld a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Eld surname mean?

A surname derived from a term meaning "old" or "elder."

What does the Eld map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Eld bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.