NameCensus.

UK surname

Elliff

A surname derived from the Old English word for "elf" or "fairy".

In the 1881 census there were 123 people recorded with the Elliff surname, ranking it #17,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 137, ranked #25,254, down from #17,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Spilsby, West Keal, Stickford, Lusby (incl. Lusby allotments) and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Tonbridge and Malling and Bassetlaw.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Elliff is 186 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.4%.

1881 census count

123

Ranked #17,506

Modern count

137

2016, ranked #25,254

Peak year

1911

186 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Elliff had 123 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,506 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016, ranked #25,254.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 186 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Elliff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Elliff surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Elliff 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 81 #19,457
1861 historical 113 #19,151
1881 historical 123 #17,506
1891 historical 130 #20,173
1901 historical 176 #16,401
1911 historical 186 #15,643
1997 modern 145 #21,571
1998 modern 145 #22,139
1999 modern 141 #22,702
2000 modern 132 #23,562
2001 modern 132 #23,230
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 130 #23,672
2004 modern 130 #23,902
2005 modern 130 #23,848
2006 modern 134 #23,590
2007 modern 138 #23,478
2008 modern 134 #24,249
2009 modern 129 #25,314
2010 modern 138 #24,801
2011 modern 144 #23,962
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 144 #24,323
2014 modern 144 #24,504
2015 modern 138 #25,103
2016 modern 137 #25,254

Geography

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Where Elliffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Spilsby, West Keal, Stickford, Lusby (incl. Lusby allotments), St John Hackney, Stockton-on-Tees (Stockton-on-Tees), Stainton (Thornaby ), Norton and Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Tonbridge and Malling, Bassetlaw, Sheffield and County Durham. 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 Spilsby, West Keal, Stickford, Lusby (incl. Lusby allotments) Lincolnshire
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Stockton-on-Tees (Stockton-on-Tees), Stainton (Thornaby ), Norton Durham
5 Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 046 Kirklees
2 Tonbridge and Malling 009 Tonbridge and Malling
3 Bassetlaw 003 Bassetlaw
4 Sheffield 055 Sheffield
5 County Durham 045 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Elliff

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Elliff

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Elliff is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Elliff is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Elliff falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Elliff

The surname ELLIFF is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "ælf" which means "elf" or "supernatural being." It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century as a descriptive surname, likely given to someone with an unusual or otherworldly appearance or personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ELLIFF can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named Ailric Ellif is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time and may have evolved from earlier variations.

During the Middle Ages, the name ELLIFF was primarily concentrated in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in northern England. It is possible that the name was associated with specific locations or villages in these regions, although concrete evidence of such place names has not been well-documented.

Notable individuals with the surname ELLIFF throughout history include Sir John Elliff (c. 1500-1572), who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1556. Another prominent figure was William Elliff (1624-1703), a Puritan minister and author who played a significant role in the development of Non-conformist thought in England.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Elliff family migrated to the American colonies, with records showing an Edward Elliff settling in Virginia in 1635. Later on, Samuel Elliff (1760-1844), a British military officer, served in the American Revolutionary War and was captured by American forces during the siege of Yorktown in 1781.

Moving into the 19th century, a notable bearer of the name was John Elliff (1810-1873), a Methodist minister and author who published several theological works. Additionally, Samuel Elliff (1827-1901) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from Nottinghamshire, England, who made significant contributions to various charitable causes.

While the surname ELLIFF is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich history that can be traced back to its Old English roots and its early presence in northern England. Over the centuries, individuals with this surname have left their mark in various fields, from politics and religion to business and military service.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Elliff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Elliff 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. Surrey leads with 31 Elliffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.30x.

County Total Index
Surrey 31 5.30x
Middlesex 22 1.83x
Yorkshire 22 1.85x
Lincolnshire 20 10.43x
Lancashire 13 0.91x
Durham 7 1.96x
Norfolk 5 2.71x
Kent 3 0.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Caterham in Surrey leads with 16 Elliffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 620.16x.

Place Total Index
Caterham 16 620.16x
Croydon 13 40.06x
Hammersmith London 12 40.60x
Hackney London 10 14.87x
Kirkleatham 9 559.01x
Deeping St James 8 1176.47x
Hulme 8 26.92x
Yarm 8 1311.48x
Stockton On Tees 7 40.67x
Spilsby 6 983.61x
Oldham 5 10.88x
Walpole St Peter 5 1063.83x
Leeds 4 5.96x
Beckenham 3 56.07x
Boston Hall Hills 2 625.00x
Coulsdon 1 94.34x
Headingley Cum Burley 1 13.07x
Holbeach 1 46.73x
Hundleby 1 384.62x
Pinchbeck 1 81.30x
Reigate Foreign 1 15.80x
Wainfleet All Sts 1 178.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 6
Mary 6
Annie 4
Jane 4
Eliza 3
Elizabeth 3
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
Amy 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Gertrude 1
H. 1
Jeanetta 1
Julia 1
Lydia 1
Mabetable 1
Marjorie 1
Martha 1
Muriel 1
Nellie 1
Phoebe 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1
Silvia 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 11
Henry 6
George 5
Joseph 4
Edward 3
Charles 2
Frederick 2
James 2
Patrick 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Cecil 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Hubert 1
J. 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Philip 1
Rhoades 1

FAQ

Elliff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Elliff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 123 people were recorded with the Elliff surname. That placed it at #17,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Elliff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016. That gives Elliff a modern rank of #25,254.

What does the Elliff surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word for "elf" or "fairy".

What does the Elliff map show?

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