NameCensus.

UK surname

Ellingham

A locational surname deriving from places called Ellingham in Suffolk or Norfolk, England.

In the 1881 census there were 484 people recorded with the Ellingham surname, ranking it #6,939 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 763, ranked #7,188, down from #6,939 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Clare, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Luton, Central Bedfordshire and Mole Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ellingham is 850 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.6%.

1881 census count

484

Ranked #6,939

Modern count

763

2016, ranked #7,188

Peak year

2000

850 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ellingham had 484 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,939 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 763 in 2016, ranked #7,188.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 775 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ellingham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ellingham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ellingham 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 350 #6,733
1861 historical 380 #6,726
1881 historical 484 #6,939
1891 historical 592 #6,456
1901 historical 659 #6,572
1911 historical 775 #5,604
1997 modern 832 #6,342
1998 modern 837 #6,515
1999 modern 838 #6,558
2000 modern 850 #6,457
2001 modern 808 #6,600
2002 modern 813 #6,684
2003 modern 800 #6,652
2004 modern 807 #6,626
2005 modern 792 #6,660
2006 modern 793 #6,677
2007 modern 797 #6,713
2008 modern 768 #6,973
2009 modern 787 #6,983
2010 modern 824 #6,851
2011 modern 793 #7,003
2012 modern 758 #7,165
2013 modern 770 #7,192
2014 modern 789 #7,086
2015 modern 767 #7,177
2016 modern 763 #7,188

Geography

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Where Ellinghams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Clare, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, London parishes, St Mary Islington and Luton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Luton, Central Bedfordshire, Mole Valley and Epsom and Ewell. 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 Clare Suffolk
2 Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth Cambridgeshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Luton Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Luton 001 Luton
2 Central Bedfordshire 017 Central Bedfordshire
3 Central Bedfordshire 018 Central Bedfordshire
4 Mole Valley 012 Mole Valley
5 Epsom and Ewell 010 Epsom and Ewell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ellingham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ellingham

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Ellingham is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ellingham is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ellingham falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ellingham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Ellingham

The surname Ellingham has its origins in England, specifically in the county of Norfolk. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the place name "Ellingham," which itself is derived from the Old English words "ælling" and "ham," meaning "meadow of the family or clan of a man called Ælling."

Ellingham is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name and the settlement from which it originated existed before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ellingham can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named Roger de Ellingham is mentioned. In the 13th century, a man named Ralph de Ellingham is recorded as holding lands in Norfolk.

In the 14th century, a notable figure with this surname was Sir William Ellingham, a knight who served in the military campaigns of King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. He fought in the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and the Battle of Poitiers in 1356.

Another prominent individual with the Ellingham surname was Thomas Ellingham, a merchant and politician who served as the Sheriff of London in 1477 and 1486. He was also a member of the Company of Merchant Taylors.

During the 16th century, a person named Robert Ellingham was a member of the Guild of Corpus Christi in York. This guild played an important role in organizing religious plays and pageants in the city.

In the late 17th century, John Ellingham (1638-1714) was a notable mathematician and astronomer. He made contributions to the study of calculus and was a member of the Royal Society.

Throughout history, variations in the spelling of the surname have included Elingham, Elyngham, and Elingeham, among others. These variations likely reflect regional dialects and scribal practices during the Middle Ages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ellingham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ellingham 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. Bedfordshire leads with 125 Ellinghams recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.13x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 125 51.13x
Middlesex 85 1.80x
Cambridgeshire 52 17.39x
Kent 36 2.23x
Suffolk 28 4.87x
Essex 23 2.47x
Hertfordshire 23 7.07x
Surrey 20 0.87x
Buckinghamshire 18 6.31x
Durham 11 0.78x
Norfolk 11 1.52x
Northamptonshire 11 2.48x
Warwickshire 10 0.84x
Cheshire 8 0.77x
Yorkshire 7 0.15x
Lancashire 6 0.11x
Lincolnshire 2 0.26x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.31x
Renfrewshire 2 0.55x
Gloucestershire 1 0.11x
Hampshire 1 0.10x
Leicestershire 1 0.19x
Northumberland 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Luton in Bedfordshire leads with 44 Ellinghams recorded in 1881 and an index of 103.97x.

Place Total Index
Luton 44 103.97x
Leighton Buzzard 35 332.70x
Islington London 30 6.56x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 28 214.72x
Clare 25 909.09x
Eaton Bray 22 890.69x
Littleport 16 280.21x
Lambeth 15 3.64x
West Ham 15 7.29x
Hayes 11 228.22x
Soulbury 11 1428.57x
Bexley 10 70.22x
Knutsford Nether 8 126.98x
Sittingbourne 8 62.89x
Chislehurst 7 81.02x
Hemel Hempstead 7 47.75x
South Shields 6 47.96x
Tilsworth 6 1500.00x
Birmingham 5 1.26x
Caddington 5 139.66x
Hockliffe 5 943.40x
Lewisham 5 5.82x
Newbottle 5 65.19x
Westminster St John 5 8.70x
Whittlesey St Mary St 5 47.89x
Bedford St Paul 4 23.85x
Brafield On Green 4 459.77x
Cantley 4 909.09x
Gillingham 4 12.04x
Kettering 4 22.27x
Bubbenhall 3 697.67x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.69x
Dunstable 3 39.95x
Hackney London 3 1.13x
Ivinghoe 3 134.53x
Market Weighton Arras 3 98.68x
Newchurch 3 6.55x
Ratcliffe London 3 11.51x
Shoreditch London 3 1.47x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 3.16x
St Albans St Michael 3 82.42x
St George Hanover Square 3 3.61x
Twickenham 3 14.82x
Walthamstow 3 8.94x
Wheathampstead 3 79.79x
Brockley 2 392.16x
Bromley London 2 1.93x
Burlingham St Andrew 2 689.66x
Corby 2 157.48x
Edlesborough 2 76.92x
Higher Booths 2 19.80x
Kensington London 2 0.76x
Kimpton 2 130.72x
Mile End Old Town London 2 1.99x
Neilston 2 10.89x
Norwich St Peter 2 42.02x
Nottingham St Mary 2 1.22x
Peterborough 2 6.22x
Seaton Ross 2 259.74x
St Albans St Peter 2 18.21x
St Luke London 2 2.64x
St Pancras London 2 0.53x
Watford 2 7.93x
Westminster St Margaret 2 8.78x
Widford 2 408.16x
Ashford 1 26.81x
Aylsham 1 23.15x
Bradwell 1 24.88x
Chelmsford 1 6.25x
Chelsea London 1 0.70x
Earls Colne 1 38.91x
Great Ayton 1 34.84x
Hammersmith London 1 0.86x
Holdenhurst 1 3.94x
Houghton Regis 1 25.64x
Melton Mowbray 1 10.63x
Offley 1 47.17x
Rugby 1 6.21x
St Andrewthe Less 1 2.93x
Swanbourne 1 128.21x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 35
William 26
Thomas 21
Arthur 13
George 13
Charles 9
James 9
Henry 8
Daniel 7
Albert 6
David 6
Harry 6
Alfred 5
Frederick 5
Robert 5
Walter 5
Cornelius 3
Edward 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Benjamin 2
Gabriel 2
Jonas 2
Joseph 2
Levi 2
Bennett 1
Bernard 1
Clement 1
Cyril 1
Dennis 1
Edmund 1
Ephraim 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredric 1
Freeman 1
J.C. 1
J.T. 1
Jeffrey 1
Jesse 1
Montague 1
Richd. 1
Sidney 1
Stanley 1
Thos. 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Ellingham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ellingham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 484 people were recorded with the Ellingham surname. That placed it at #6,939 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ellingham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 763 in 2016. That gives Ellingham a modern rank of #7,188.

What does the Ellingham surname mean?

A locational surname deriving from places called Ellingham in Suffolk or Norfolk, England.

What does the Ellingham map show?

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