NameCensus.

UK surname

Ellen

Anglo-Saxon surname derived from a diminutive of Helen or Ellen, meaning "sun ray" or "bright one."

In the 1881 census there were 646 people recorded with the Ellen surname, ranking it #5,519 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 510, ranked #9,846, down from #5,519 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Bishops Cannings. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wealden, Nairn East and Nairn West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ellen is 1,863 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 21.1%.

1881 census count

646

Ranked #5,519

Modern count

510

2016, ranked #9,846

Peak year

1861

1,863 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ellen had 646 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,519 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 510 in 2016, ranked #9,846.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,863 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Ellen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ellen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ellen 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 901 #3,053
1861 historical 1,863 #1,556
1881 historical 646 #5,519
1891 historical 1,186 #3,616
1901 historical 928 #5,023
1911 historical 1,187 #3,950
1997 modern 496 #9,352
1998 modern 517 #9,357
1999 modern 528 #9,260
2000 modern 521 #9,325
2001 modern 491 #9,604
2002 modern 512 #9,470
2003 modern 507 #9,391
2004 modern 507 #9,419
2005 modern 476 #9,783
2006 modern 460 #10,073
2007 modern 466 #10,070
2008 modern 489 #9,808
2009 modern 511 #9,685
2010 modern 506 #9,971
2011 modern 507 #9,854
2012 modern 501 #9,843
2013 modern 505 #9,949
2014 modern 494 #10,170
2015 modern 496 #10,057
2016 modern 510 #9,846

Geography

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Where Ellens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Bishops Cannings and St Dunstan Stepney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wealden, Nairn East, Nairn West, Cotswold and Tunbridge Wells. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Bishops Cannings Wiltshire
5 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wealden 006 Wealden
2 Nairn East Highland
3 Nairn West Highland
4 Cotswold 009 Cotswold
5 Tunbridge Wells 003 Tunbridge Wells

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ellen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ellen

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ellen, 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 Ellen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ellen 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ellen is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ellen is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ellen falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ellen 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 Ellen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ellen

The surname Ellen has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name Æthelwine, which means "noble friend" or "noble protector." The name Æthelwine was a combination of the elements "æthel" (noble) and "wine" (friend).

In the early days, surnames were often formed by adding the suffix "-ing" to a personal name, indicating familial descent or association. This resulted in the surname Ellening or Elleninge, which eventually evolved into the modern form Ellen.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Ellen surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a person named "Aluen" in Buckinghamshire.

During the medieval period, the Ellen surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire. Some notable examples include William Ellen, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, and John Ellen, mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire in 1332.

Over the centuries, the Ellen surname has been associated with various place names and locations. For instance, the village of Ellenhall in Staffordshire is believed to have derived its name from the Ellen family who once owned land in the area.

Amongst the notable individuals bearing the Ellen surname throughout history are:

1. Sir John Ellen (c. 1510 - 1586), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 2. William Ellen (fl. 1650), an English author and puritan minister who wrote several religious works. 3. John Ellen (1797 - 1874), a British architect and surveyor who designed several churches and public buildings in London. 4. Joseph Ellen (1824 - 1901), an English artist known for his landscape paintings and etchings. 5. Henry Ellen (1862 - 1945), a British architect and designer who contributed to the Arts and Crafts movement.

The Ellen surname continues to be found throughout various parts of the United Kingdom and has also been carried by families who immigrated to other parts of the world, such as North America and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ellen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ellen 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. Kent leads with 203 Ellens recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.46x.

County Total Index
Kent 203 9.46x
Surrey 112 3.65x
Middlesex 82 1.30x
Yorkshire 61 0.98x
Nairnshire 39 203.13x
Wiltshire 28 5.03x
Lancashire 24 0.32x
Sussex 14 1.32x
Devon 10 0.76x
Durham 9 0.48x
Hampshire 8 0.62x
Northamptonshire 8 1.35x
Gloucestershire 6 0.49x
Lincolnshire 5 0.50x
Norfolk 5 0.52x
Suffolk 5 0.65x
Lanarkshire 4 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.47x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.53x
Derbyshire 2 0.20x
Dorset 2 0.48x
Hertfordshire 2 0.46x
Angus 1 0.17x
Berkshire 1 0.21x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.39x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.25x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Essex 1 0.08x
Leicestershire 1 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 1.33x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x
Westmorland 1 0.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nairn in Nairnshire leads with 39 Ellens recorded in 1881 and an index of 334.76x.

Place Total Index
Nairn 39 334.76x
Folkestone 37 88.86x
Camberwell 23 5.72x
Southwark St George Martyr 21 16.59x
Erith 17 80.38x
Lambeth 15 2.73x
St Pancras London 13 2.57x
Pollington 12 1445.78x
Devizes St Mary 10 177.94x
Shoreditch London 10 3.67x
Barham 9 412.84x
Battersea 9 3.89x
Glass Houghton 9 398.23x
Islington London 9 1.48x
Leominster 9 263.16x
Nether Hallam 9 10.67x
Clapham 8 10.17x
Monkton 8 1000.00x
Newington 8 3.44x
Womenswould 8 1632.65x
Faversham 7 34.20x
Knook 7 2916.67x
Minster In Thanet 7 156.60x
Nonington 7 409.36x
Walmer 7 75.03x
Wandsworth 7 11.56x
Willesden 7 11.80x
Bishopsbourne 6 789.47x
Dartford 6 27.33x
Devizes St James 6 81.19x
Eastry 6 201.34x
Rotherhithe 6 7.72x
Upper Holker 6 340.91x
Bow London 5 6.24x
Chartham 5 93.46x
Colton 5 128.53x
Dawdon 5 21.72x
Elham 5 194.55x
Ewell Lydden 5 299.40x
Great Grimsby 5 7.83x
Maidstone 5 7.82x
Preston Next Faversham 5 99.01x
Sheldwich 5 364.96x
Southwark Christchurch 5 16.96x
St George Bloomsbury 5 13.85x
St Marylebone London 5 1.49x
Whitstable 5 47.48x
Woolwich 5 6.30x
Andover 4 32.84x
Asselby 4 689.66x
Barony 4 0.78x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.46x
Burnham Sutton Cum Burnham 4 571.43x
Exeter St David 4 35.75x
Hackney London 4 1.13x
Mile End Old Town London 4 2.99x
Northampton Priory St 4 11.26x
Northampton St Giles 4 17.75x
Pewsey 4 97.80x
Sheffield 4 2.02x
Canterbury St Mildred 3 58.94x
Charlton 3 21.04x
Eccleston In Prescot 3 8.00x
Huddersfield 3 3.30x
Plumstead 3 4.19x
Shadwell London 3 17.04x
Skelton In Guisbrough 3 17.78x
Worsbrough 3 16.42x
Bungay Holy Trinity 2 50.89x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.21x
Hornsey 2 2.51x
Hove 2 4.30x
Kingston On Thames 2 2.72x
Mansfield 2 6.81x
Northbourne 2 98.04x
Portsea 2 0.79x
Southcoates 2 5.78x
St George Hanover Square 2 1.80x
Stranton 2 3.17x
Wolverton 2 25.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 36
Sarah 22
Jane 17
Annie 16
Eliza 15
Elizabeth 14
Emily 10
Ann 8
Ellen 8
Anne 7
Kate 7
Maria 7
Caroline 6
Louisa 6
Ada 5
Alice 5
Edith 5
Florence 5
Charlotte 4
Martha 4
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Amy 3
Catherine 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Harriett 3
Jemima 3
Matilda 3
Minnie 3
Rebecca 3
Rose 3
Ruth 3
Susan 3
Adelaide 2
Allice 2
Bridget 2
Celia 2
Eveline 2
Fanny 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
Judith 2
Julia 2
Margaret 2
Beatrice 1
Diana 1
Elesa 1
Elizzie 1
Ziporah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 43
John 33
George 21
Thomas 18
Charles 15
James 14
Henry 13
Walter 10
Alfred 9
Frederick 9
Joseph 8
David 5
Edward 5
Frank 5
Harry 5
Richard 5
Stephen 5
Albert 4
Ernest 4
Arthur 3
Edwin 3
Robert 3
Chas. 2
Herbert 2
Hubert 2
Michael 2
Percy 2
Amos 1
Benjaman 1
Benjamin 1
Bernard 1
Christopher 1
Clifford 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edmond 1
Elijah 1
H. 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
J.Lewis 1
Johnatn.J. 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Saml. 1
Thos. 1
Valentine 1
Wilfred 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Ellen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ellen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 646 people were recorded with the Ellen surname. That placed it at #5,519 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ellen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 510 in 2016. That gives Ellen a modern rank of #9,846.

What does the Ellen surname mean?

Anglo-Saxon surname derived from a diminutive of Helen or Ellen, meaning "sun ray" or "bright one."

What does the Ellen map show?

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