NameCensus.

UK surname

Ell

A surname denoting someone who lived by or near a nook or headland.

In the 1881 census there were 182 people recorded with the Ell surname, ranking it #13,647 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 186, ranked #20,575, down from #13,647 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Deddington, London parishes and Henlow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Suffolk Coastal, Coventry and Aylesbury Vale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ell is 213 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.2%.

1881 census count

182

Ranked #13,647

Modern count

186

2016, ranked #20,575

Peak year

1999

213 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ell had 182 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,647 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 186 in 2016, ranked #20,575.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 184 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Ell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ell 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 118 #15,362
1881 historical 182 #13,647
1901 historical 184 #15,942
1997 modern 205 #17,370
1998 modern 212 #17,479
1999 modern 213 #17,550
2000 modern 207 #17,833
2001 modern 199 #17,996
2002 modern 201 #18,236
2003 modern 200 #18,139
2004 modern 198 #18,308
2005 modern 198 #18,279
2006 modern 183 #19,326
2007 modern 182 #19,618
2008 modern 176 #20,224
2009 modern 186 #19,946
2010 modern 191 #20,015
2011 modern 185 #20,288
2012 modern 180 #20,606
2013 modern 184 #20,643
2014 modern 186 #20,664
2015 modern 181 #20,934
2016 modern 186 #20,575

Geography

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Where Ells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Deddington, London parishes, Henlow, Langford and St Luke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Suffolk Coastal, Coventry, Aylesbury Vale and Hinckley and Bosworth. 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 Deddington Oxfordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Henlow Bedfordshire
4 Langford Bedfordshire
5 St Luke London (Central Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Suffolk Coastal 012 Suffolk Coastal
2 Coventry 036 Coventry
3 Coventry 041 Coventry
4 Aylesbury Vale 005 Aylesbury Vale
5 Hinckley and Bosworth 011 Hinckley and Bosworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ell, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Ell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Ell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Ell is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ell is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

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

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ell falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Ell

The surname Ell originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word "ell," which referred to a unit of measurement equivalent to approximately 45 inches. It's believed that the name initially served as a descriptive surname, indicating someone who worked with cloth or engaged in a trade that involved measuring lengths, such as a tailor or cloth merchant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Ell surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated 1273, which mentions a person named Richard le Elne. This early spelling variation, "Elne," further supports the connection to the Old English word for measurement.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to places with names similar to the surname, such as Elleland and Ellenborough. While these place names are not directly linked to the Ell surname, they may have influenced its development or provided a geographical association.

Notable individuals bearing the Ell surname throughout history include Sir Ralph Ell (1537-1604), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1601. Another prominent figure was John Ell (1669-1724), an English barrister and Member of Parliament for Malmesbury.

In the literary realm, Robert Ell (1817-1900) was a Scottish poet and author, best known for his works "The Old English Alphabet" and "The Teutonic Circle." Additionally, Edward Ell (1858-1934) was an English painter and illustrator who exhibited at the Royal Academy and the Paris Salon.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Ell surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk in eastern England, where many records of individuals with this name can be found in parish registers and other local documents.

The surname Ell has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Ellerton, Ellesmere, and Ellingham. These place names may have influenced the development of the surname or provided a connection for families bearing this name over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ell 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. Middlesex leads with 63 Ells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.96x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 63 3.96x
Warwickshire 22 5.49x
Bedfordshire 20 24.30x
Oxfordshire 16 16.30x
Surrey 14 1.81x
Sussex 9 3.36x
Somerset 7 2.74x
Northamptonshire 4 2.68x
Gloucestershire 3 0.96x
Essex 2 0.64x
Lancashire 2 0.11x
Worcestershire 1 0.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deddington in Oxfordshire leads with 16 Ells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1495.33x.

Place Total Index
Deddington 16 1495.33x
Newbold Pacey 14 6666.67x
St Luke London 14 54.90x
Hackney London 8 8.98x
Islington London 8 5.19x
Ore 8 400.00x
Henlow 7 1372.55x
Bermondsey 6 12.68x
Camberwell 6 5.91x
Dunster 6 983.61x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 6 266.67x
Bethnal Green London 5 7.24x
Biggleswade 5 185.19x
Paddington London 5 8.55x
St George Bloomsbury 5 54.82x
Goldington 4 1250.00x
Aston 3 2.72x
Clerkenwell London 3 7.99x
Coventry St Michael 3 23.29x
Hampstead London 3 12.12x
St Pancras London 3 2.34x
Blakesley 2 869.57x
Langford 2 294.12x
Twickenham 2 29.33x
Twining 2 425.53x
West Ham 2 2.89x
Wigan 2 7.59x
Arlesey 1 96.15x
Birmingham 1 0.75x
Brackley St Peter 1 97.09x
Bromsgrove 1 14.31x
Chalvington 1 1428.57x
Hampton Lucy 1 476.19x
Kingston On Thames 1 5.37x
Luton 1 7.02x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 3.13x
St Gilesin Fields London 1 74.07x
Taunton St Mary 1 21.28x
Wicken 1 454.55x
Wotton Under Edge 1 54.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Elizabeth 8
Jane 6
Hannah 5
Emma 4
Agnes 3
Annie 3
Florence 3
Sarah 3
Ada 2
Ann 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Minnie 2
Augusta 1
Bessie 1
Charlotte 1
Constance 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Eveline 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Georgiana 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Josephine 1
Kathleen 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Marther 1
Moriam 1
Nelly 1
R. 1
Rachel 1
Rhoda 1
Ruth 1
Selina 1
T. 1
Winnefred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 10
John 10
William 8
Charles 7
Alfred 4
James 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Henry 3
Thomas 3
Edward 2
Fred. 2
Joseph 2
Reginald 2
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
H.G. 1
L.S. 1
Nathaniel 1
Parry 1
Percy 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Ell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 182 people were recorded with the Ell surname. That placed it at #13,647 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 186 in 2016. That gives Ell a modern rank of #20,575.

What does the Ell surname mean?

A surname denoting someone who lived by or near a nook or headland.

What does the Ell map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ell 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.