NameCensus.

UK surname

Ellerbeck

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "alder stream".

In the 1881 census there were 128 people recorded with the Ellerbeck surname, ranking it #17,079 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 116, ranked #28,197, down from #17,079 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Radcliffe, Hull Holy Trinity and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Huntingdonshire, Enfield and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ellerbeck is 152 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.4%.

1881 census count

128

Ranked #17,079

Modern count

116

2016, ranked #28,197

Peak year

1911

152 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ellerbeck had 128 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,079 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016, ranked #28,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 152 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ellerbeck surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ellerbeck surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ellerbeck 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 52 #23,915
1861 historical 99 #21,294
1881 historical 128 #17,079
1891 historical 123 #20,939
1901 historical 151 #17,988
1911 historical 152 #17,712
1997 modern 129 #23,143
1998 modern 134 #23,202
1999 modern 137 #23,083
2000 modern 135 #23,250
2001 modern 128 #23,665
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 124 #24,378
2004 modern 120 #25,078
2005 modern 125 #24,398
2006 modern 128 #24,267
2007 modern 131 #24,282
2008 modern 127 #25,020
2009 modern 129 #25,314
2010 modern 133 #25,379
2011 modern 129 #25,673
2012 modern 134 #25,059
2013 modern 136 #25,252
2014 modern 128 #26,490
2015 modern 124 #26,944
2016 modern 116 #28,197

Geography

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Where Ellerbecks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Radcliffe, Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes, St Pancras and Cawood. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Huntingdonshire, Enfield, South Somerset and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 Radcliffe Lancashire
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Cawood Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Huntingdonshire 017 Huntingdonshire
2 Enfield 001 Enfield
3 South Somerset 004 South Somerset
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 015 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 Huntingdonshire 018 Huntingdonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ellerbeck

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ellerbeck

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Ellerbeck is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ellerbeck 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

Ellerbeck falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ellerbeck

The surname Ellerbeck has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Old English words "ælor" meaning alder tree and "bæcc" meaning a brook or stream, suggesting that the name originally referred to someone who lived near an alder brook or stream.

The earliest known record of the name is in the parish registers of St. Giles in Cripplegate, London, where a John Ellerbeck was christened in 1582. Another early reference is found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1618, which mentions a Thomas Ellerbeck.

The name has also been found in various historical documents with alternate spellings such as Ellerbecke, Ellerbeeke, and Ellerbrook. These variations reflect the regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling that were common in earlier times.

One notable individual with the surname Ellerbeck was Sir Ralph Ellerbeck (1670-1736), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Yorkshire. He served as the High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1711 and was knighted by Queen Anne in 1712.

Another prominent figure was William Ellerbeck (1758-1824), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Rear Admiral and was awarded the naval Gold Medal for his service.

In the literary world, there was John Ellerbeck (1821-1892), an English poet and essayist who published several volumes of poetry and contributed to various literary journals.

Another individual of note was Mary Ellerbeck (1853-1927), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded the Ellerbeck School for Girls in London and was actively involved in the suffrage movement.

Lastly, there was Sir Edward Ellerbeck (1884-1965), a British businessman and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the textile industry and donated generously to various educational and charitable causes, including the founding of the Ellerbeck Foundation.

While the surname Ellerbeck is not as common as some other English names, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ellerbeck families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ellerbeck 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. Yorkshire leads with 45 Ellerbecks recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.64x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 45 3.64x
Lancashire 43 2.90x
Middlesex 30 2.40x
Hampshire 3 1.17x
Nottinghamshire 3 1.78x
Leicestershire 1 0.72x
Staffordshire 1 0.24x
Surrey 1 0.16x
Westmorland 1 3.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Radcliffe in Lancashire leads with 16 Ellerbecks recorded in 1881 and an index of 224.09x.

Place Total Index
Radcliffe 16 224.09x
St George Bloomsbury 11 153.63x
Tadcaster West 11 1122.45x
Toxteth Park 11 21.93x
Hackney London 9 12.86x
Holy Trinity 9 30.24x
Tadcaster East 9 8181.82x
Lytham 6 265.49x
St Pancras London 6 5.97x
Accrington 3 22.27x
Alverstoke 3 32.40x
Bowling 3 24.49x
Cawood 3 638.30x
Boughton 2 1538.46x
Horton In Bradford 2 10.35x
Islington London 2 1.65x
Liverpool 2 2.22x
Otley 2 66.67x
St Marylebone London 2 3.00x
Ulverston 2 46.30x
York St Mary 2 39.06x
Casterton 1 400.00x
Checkley 1 91.74x
Everton 1 2.12x
Lambeth 1 0.92x
Layton With Warbreck 1 18.38x
Mansfield 1 17.18x
Nether Hallam 1 5.97x
Potter Newton 1 45.87x
Sheffield 1 2.54x
Walmersley Cum 1 42.19x
Woodhouse 1 181.82x
York St Giles In 1 85.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 7
Mary 7
Annie 6
Ellen 4
Sarah 4
Eliza 3
Isabella 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Ellenann 1
Evelyn 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Harriot 1
Hetty 1
Lizzie 1
Lottie 1
Maude 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Ellerbeck surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ellerbeck surname in 1881?

In 1881, 128 people were recorded with the Ellerbeck surname. That placed it at #17,079 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ellerbeck surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016. That gives Ellerbeck a modern rank of #28,197.

What does the Ellerbeck surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "alder stream".

What does the Ellerbeck map show?

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