UK surname
A locational surname originating from the plural form of "el" (elm tree).
In the 1881 census there were 203 people recorded with the Elles surname, ranking it #12,717 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 73, ranked #33,502, down from #12,717 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Elles is 1,096 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 64.0%.
1881 census count
203
Ranked #12,717
Modern count
73
2016, ranked #33,502
Peak year
1861
1,096 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Elles surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Elles surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 482 | #5,171 |
| 1861 | historical | 1,096 | #2,563 |
| 1881 | historical | 203 | #12,717 |
| 1891 | historical | 896 | #4,594 |
| 1901 | historical | 321 | #11,118 |
| 1911 | historical | 243 | #13,163 |
| 1997 | modern | 78 | #29,785 |
| 1998 | modern | 92 | #28,680 |
| 1999 | modern | 93 | #28,711 |
| 2000 | modern | 90 | #29,068 |
| 2001 | modern | 90 | #28,793 |
| 2002 | modern | 86 | #29,771 |
| 2003 | modern | 86 | #29,752 |
| 2004 | modern | 79 | #30,799 |
| 2005 | modern | 77 | #31,156 |
| 2006 | modern | 79 | #31,263 |
| 2007 | modern | 80 | #31,527 |
| 2008 | modern | 75 | #32,373 |
| 2009 | modern | 76 | #32,635 |
| 2010 | modern | 76 | #33,009 |
| 2011 | modern | 70 | #33,465 |
| 2012 | modern | 84 | #32,502 |
| 2013 | modern | 83 | #32,813 |
| 2014 | modern | 77 | #33,336 |
| 2015 | modern | 74 | #33,487 |
| 2016 | modern | 73 | #33,502 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, St Pancras, Manchester and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | St John Hackney | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Elles surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Elles, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Elles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Elles household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Elles is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Elles is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Elles, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Elles has its origins in England, dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Alli" or "Aelli," which was a diminutive form of the name "Aethelric." This name was composed of two elements: "aethel," meaning noble, and "ric," meaning power or ruler.
The earliest recorded instance of the Elles surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, where a person named Robert Alis is mentioned. This form of the name, "Alis," was a common spelling variation during that time period.
In the 13th century, the Elles surname appeared in various records across different regions of England. One notable example is the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which included entries for individuals with the surname Eles in counties such as Oxfordshire and Huntingdonshire.
The Elles surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Elles Manor in Lincolnshire and Elles Farm in Kent. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Elles surname was John Elles, who was born around 1370 in Cheshire, England. Another notable figure was William Elles, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London during the 15th century.
During the 16th century, the Elles surname gained prominence with individuals like Sir Gerard Elles (1515-1583), who served as a Member of Parliament and held various positions in the English government. His grandson, Sir William Elles (1568-1628), was also a notable figure, known for his military service and involvement in colonizing efforts in Ireland.
In the 17th century, the Elles surname continued to be prominent, with individuals such as Thomas Elles (1629-1688), a English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Elles surname appeared in various records and historical documents, reflecting its continued presence in England and other parts of the British Isles.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Elles surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 34 Elles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.73x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 34 | 1.73x |
| Middlesex | 24 | 1.21x |
| Hampshire | 14 | 3.45x |
| Lancashire | 14 | 0.60x |
| Devon | 12 | 2.91x |
| Shropshire | 11 | 6.43x |
| Gloucestershire | 9 | 2.32x |
| Sussex | 8 | 2.40x |
| Durham | 7 | 1.19x |
| Derbyshire | 6 | 1.94x |
| Lanarkshire | 6 | 0.94x |
| Merionethshire | 6 | 16.56x |
| Nottinghamshire | 6 | 2.25x |
| Cornwall | 5 | 2.23x |
| Kent | 5 | 0.74x |
| Surrey | 5 | 0.52x |
| Cheshire | 4 | 0.92x |
| Suffolk | 4 | 1.66x |
| Essex | 3 | 0.77x |
| Lincolnshire | 3 | 0.95x |
| Norfolk | 3 | 0.99x |
| Leicestershire | 2 | 0.91x |
| Perthshire | 2 | 2.25x |
| Worcestershire | 2 | 0.77x |
| Aberdeenshire | 1 | 0.55x |
| Argyllshire | 1 | 1.81x |
| Herefordshire | 1 | 1.23x |
| Kincardineshire | 1 | 4.15x |
| Montgomeryshire | 1 | 2.20x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.31x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.15x |
| Wiltshire | 1 | 0.57x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dewsbury in Yorkshire leads with 14 Elles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 69.58x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Elles surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 12 |
| Sarah | 8 |
| Elizabeth | 7 |
| Ann | 5 |
| Ellen | 5 |
| Annie | 3 |
| Eliza | 3 |
| Emily | 3 |
| Emma | 3 |
| Hannah | 3 |
| Martha | 3 |
| Ada | 2 |
| Alice | 2 |
| Edith | 2 |
| Frances | 2 |
| Jane | 2 |
| Margaret | 2 |
| Maria | 2 |
| Bessie | 1 |
| Cathren | 1 |
| Celia | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Christiana | 1 |
| Clara | 1 |
| Dora | 1 |
| Emmyly | 1 |
| Ethel | 1 |
| Eva | 1 |
| Eveline | 1 |
| Fanny | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Gertrude | 1 |
| Hilton | 1 |
| Joanna | 1 |
| Josephllen | 1 |
| Kate | 1 |
| Katherine | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Loucua | 1 |
| Lucy | 1 |
| Lydia | 1 |
| M.L. | 1 |
| Mabel | 1 |
| Matilda | 1 |
| Maud | 1 |
| Merian | 1 |
| Nancy | 1 |
| Rosa | 1 |
| Rosamund | 1 |
| Sophie | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Elles surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| John | 15 |
| James | 9 |
| William | 9 |
| Charles | 8 |
| Joseph | 6 |
| Thomas | 6 |
| Walter | 5 |
| Alfred | 3 |
| Arthur | 2 |
| Edmund | 2 |
| Elias | 2 |
| Albert | 1 |
| Bengiman | 1 |
| Benjamin | 1 |
| Bertrum | 1 |
| Cecil | 1 |
| Danial | 1 |
| Daniel | 1 |
| David | 1 |
| Edward | 1 |
| Ernest | 1 |
| Francis | 1 |
| Frank | 1 |
| Frederick | 1 |
| Geo. | 1 |
| George | 1 |
| Henry | 1 |
| Hugh | 1 |
| Richard | 1 |
| Robert | 1 |
| Sylvan | 1 |
| Tom | 1 |
| Wm.George | 1 |
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Elles households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 39 |
| Labourer | 4 |
| Ag Lab | 3 |
| Fisherman | 3 |
| Charwoman | 2 |
| Domestic Serv | 2 |
| Dress Maker | 2 |
| General Servant | 2 |
| Housemaid Domestic Servant | 2 |
| Iron Miner | 2 |
| Platelayer | 2 |
| Scholler | 2 |
| Wife | 2 |
| Wollen Mill Hand | 2 |
| Woollen Weaver | 2 |
| Artificial Florist | 1 |
| Assistant | 1 |
| Boiler Maker | 1 |
| Brick Maker | 1 |
| Bricklayer | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Carter | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Cook Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Daur | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Domestic Servt | 1 |
| Dressmakers Asst | 1 |
| Factory Hand (Text) | 1 |
| Farm Laborer | 1 |
| Formerly Laundress | 1 |
| Fuller Cloth | 1 |
| Gardener M | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| General Serv Domestic | 1 |
| Gl Serv Domestic | 1 |
| Hall Porter Domestic | 1 |
| House Keeper | 1 |
| Iron Miner Wife | 1 |
| Iron Moulder | 1 |
| Lab Post Master | 1 |
| Laborer | 1 |
| Labourer Shipyard (Builder) | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Licensed Victualler | 1 |
| Marriner | 1 |
| Millhand | 1 |
| Millhand (Worsted) | 1 |
| Mineral Water Manufty | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 203 people were recorded with the Elles surname. That placed it at #12,717 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 73 in 2016. That gives Elles a modern rank of #33,502.
A locational surname originating from the plural form of "el" (elm tree).
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Elles bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.