NameCensus.

UK surname

Elliot

Derived from a diminutive form of the medieval personal name Elias, ultimately from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, meaning "Yahweh is God."

In the 1881 census there were 7,636 people recorded with the Elliot surname, ranking it #559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,913, ranked #1,377, down from #559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hawick and Wilton, London parishes and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Denholm and Hermitage, Hawick Central and Langholm and Eskdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Elliot is 7,636 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 35.7%.

1881 census count

7,636

Ranked #559

Modern count

4,913

2016, ranked #1,377

Peak year

1881

7,636 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Elliot had 7,636 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,913 in 2016, ranked #1,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,636 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Elliot surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Elliot surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Elliot 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 5,783 #481
1861 historical 5,718 #478
1881 historical 7,636 #559
1891 historical 6,813 #667
1901 historical 6,938 #801
1911 historical 3,630 #1,439
1997 modern 4,580 #1,427
1998 modern 4,663 #1,460
1999 modern 4,793 #1,428
2000 modern 4,813 #1,413
2001 modern 4,656 #1,431
2002 modern 4,835 #1,407
2003 modern 4,669 #1,425
2004 modern 4,636 #1,430
2005 modern 4,604 #1,419
2006 modern 4,680 #1,399
2007 modern 4,764 #1,386
2008 modern 4,799 #1,387
2009 modern 4,936 #1,379
2010 modern 5,090 #1,364
2011 modern 4,994 #1,372
2012 modern 4,942 #1,357
2013 modern 5,015 #1,361
2014 modern 5,021 #1,364
2015 modern 4,934 #1,380
2016 modern 4,913 #1,377

Geography

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Where Elliots are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hawick and Wilton, London parishes, Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Denholm and Hermitage, Hawick Central, Langholm and Eskdale, Cheviot East and Jedburgh. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
2 London parishes London 3
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Denholm and Hermitage Scottish Borders
2 Hawick Central Scottish Borders
3 Langholm and Eskdale Dumfries and Galloway
4 Cheviot East Scottish Borders
5 Jedburgh Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Elliot

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Elliot

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Elliot surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Elliot household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Elliot 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

Elliot is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Elliot 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 Elliot 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 Elliot, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Elliot

The surname Elliot has its origins in Scotland, emerging in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "El" meaning "bravery" and "lot" which translates to "one who is brave". The name is believed to have originated in the Borders region, particularly in areas such as Roxburghshire and Dumfriesshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Here, the name is spelled as "Eliot". In the 14th century, the spelling evolved to "Elyot" and "Elyet" before settling into the modern form of "Elliot".

The name is closely associated with the town of Elliot in Angus, Scotland, which was once known as "Elyot" or "Elyott". This place name is believed to have been derived from the surname itself, suggesting that the Elliot family may have held lands or influence in this area.

One of the earliest recorded Elliots is Sir John Elliot, a Scottish nobleman who lived in the late 13th century and held lands in Roxburghshire. Another notable figure is Gilbert Elliot, who was born in 1651 and served as the Lord Clerk Register of Scotland in the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Elliot family gained prominence with the rise of Sir Gilbert Elliot, 3rd Baronet of Minto, who was born in 1722 and served as the Governor-General of the Province of Toulon in France. His son, Gilbert Elliot, 1st Earl of Minto, was born in 1751 and had a distinguished career as a diplomat and politician.

The 19th century saw the emergence of George Augustus Elliot, 1st Baron Heathfield, who was born in 1718 and is best known for his successful defense of Gibraltar during the Great Siege of Gibraltar from 1779 to 1783.

Throughout its history, the Elliot surname has been associated with several notable families and individuals, reflecting its Scottish heritage and the bravery and resilience often attributed to those who bear this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Elliot families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Elliot 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. Roxburghshire leads with 694 Elliots recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.42x.

County Total Index
Roxburghshire 694 51.42x
Durham 592 2.67x
Lanarkshire 552 2.29x
Middlesex 539 0.72x
Cumberland 503 7.84x
Northumberland 469 4.23x
Yorkshire 462 0.63x
Lancashire 436 0.49x
Surrey 315 0.87x
Renfrewshire 283 4.90x
Dumfriesshire 260 15.79x
Midlothian 256 2.56x
Ayrshire 185 3.32x
Selkirkshire 134 19.88x
Devon 117 0.75x
Kent 113 0.44x
Sussex 83 0.66x
Hampshire 81 0.53x
Berwickshire 78 8.64x
Derbyshire 76 0.65x
Norfolk 68 0.59x
Staffordshire 65 0.26x
Nottinghamshire 62 0.62x
Leicestershire 61 0.74x
Glamorgan 59 0.45x
Cornwall 57 0.68x
Gloucestershire 56 0.38x
Warwickshire 54 0.29x
Angus 52 0.75x
Dorset 52 1.06x
Dunbartonshire 51 2.55x
Kirkcudbrightshire 51 4.73x
Cheshire 49 0.30x
Essex 49 0.33x
Stirlingshire 43 1.56x
Bedfordshire 39 1.01x
Berkshire 38 0.68x
East Lothian 37 3.75x
Somerset 35 0.29x
Argyllshire 30 1.45x
Wiltshire 26 0.39x
Northamptonshire 25 0.36x
Westmorland 23 1.40x
Peeblesshire 22 6.28x
Fife 21 0.48x
Worcestershire 21 0.22x
Buckinghamshire 19 0.42x
West Lothian 19 1.69x
Buteshire 18 3.99x
Monmouthshire 18 0.33x
Clackmannanshire 17 2.76x
Hertfordshire 17 0.33x
Inverness-shire 17 0.76x
Royal Navy 15 1.69x
Pembrokeshire 14 0.59x
Isle of Man 13 0.94x
Shropshire 13 0.20x
Perthshire 12 0.36x
Lincolnshire 10 0.08x
Aberdeenshire 8 0.12x
Suffolk 7 0.08x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.20x
Wigtownshire 6 0.61x
Carmarthenshire 5 0.16x
Channel Islands 5 0.23x
Sutherland 5 0.87x
Denbighshire 4 0.14x
Ross-shire 4 0.20x
Brecknockshire 3 0.20x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.06x
Rutland 2 0.37x
Banffshire 1 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.07x
Kincardineshire 1 0.11x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.06x
Oxfordshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Castleton in Roxburghshire leads with 200 Elliots recorded in 1881 and an index of 344.95x.

Place Total Index
Castleton 200 344.95x
Hawick 188 62.23x
Barony 186 3.05x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 150 3.73x
Glasgow 128 2.99x
Govan 125 2.10x
Islington London 78 1.08x
Lambeth 74 1.14x
Langholm 70 59.17x
Canonbie 65 92.94x
Abbey 63 7.15x
Camberwell 58 1.22x
Bishopwearmouth 57 3.00x
Paisley High Church 52 11.31x
St Pancras London 52 0.87x
Jedburgh 51 38.55x
Paddington London 49 1.79x
Cockermouth 43 31.84x
Portsea 42 1.40x
Oxnam 41 235.36x
Workington 40 10.89x
Stockton On Tees 39 3.65x
Tweedmouth 39 28.21x
Selkirk 38 20.01x
Annan 35 24.75x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 35 5.29x
Stanhope 35 15.29x
Cavers 33 97.78x
Kensington London 33 0.80x
Hackney London 30 0.72x
Gateshead 29 1.75x
Liverpool 29 0.54x
Roberton 29 200.55x
Bermondsey 28 1.26x
Stranton 28 3.75x
Caldewgate 27 7.68x
Kilbarchan 27 15.39x
South Leith 27 2.40x
St Cuthbert W O 27 8.63x
Bethnal Green London 26 0.80x
Crosscanonby 26 12.25x
Deptford St Paul 26 1.33x
Hobkirk 26 152.85x
Plymouth St Andrew 26 2.18x
West Derby 26 1.01x
Wilton 26 17.56x
Kilmarnock 25 3.77x
Manchester 25 0.63x
Melrose 25 14.73x
St Marylebone London 25 0.63x
Aikton 24 118.64x
Ecclesall Bierlow 24 1.60x
Bonhill 23 7.16x
Hammersmith London 23 1.25x
Paisley Middle Church 23 6.84x
East Greenock 22 4.03x
Leeds 22 0.53x
Preston 22 0.93x
Toxteth Park 22 0.73x
Dundee 21 0.81x
Elswick 21 2.37x
Great Yarmouth 21 2.21x
Sheffield 21 0.89x
Battersea 20 0.73x
Dundonald 20 9.73x
Leicester St Margaret 20 0.99x
Maryhill 20 4.24x
Mason 20 78.96x
Neilston 20 6.90x
Oldham 20 0.70x
Riccarton Hurlford 20 20.45x
Southwick 20 9.53x
Aspatria 19 30.80x
Chelsea London 19 0.85x
Hornsey 19 2.02x
Melrose 19 16.28x
Sunderland 19 4.85x
West Greenock 19 1.83x
Birmingham 18 0.29x
Godalming 18 7.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 377
Elizabeth 181
Sarah 128
Margaret 115
Jane 112
Ann 91
Annie 73
Alice 64
Hannah 61
Emma 60
Ellen 57
Isabella 56
Eliza 51
Martha 49
Emily 45
Caroline 35
Catherine 34
Louisa 33
Harriet 32
Frances 26
Florence 24
Ada 23
Edith 23
Agnes 22
Charlotte 21
Fanny 19
Anne 18
Kate 17
Harriett 13
Jessie 13
Lucy 13
Maria 13
Susan 13
Amelia 12
Eleanor 12
Rose 12
Grace 11
Dorothy 10
Esther 10
Mabel 10
Margret 10
Rebecca 10
Amy 9
Clara 9
Janet 9
Anna 8
Gertrude 8
Maggie 8
Rachel 8
Rosa 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 333
William 295
Thomas 178
James 163
George 152
Joseph 123
Robert 120
Henry 76
Charles 62
Edward 49
Alfred 36
Walter 30
Frederick 28
Samuel 28
Richard 27
Arthur 26
Albert 20
Harry 18
David 17
Ernest 16
Herbert 15
Andrew 14
Thos. 14
Francis 13
Isaac 12
Edwin 10
Frank 9
Wm. 9
Benjamin 8
Hugh 8
Matthew 8
Ralph 8
Robt. 8
Tom 8
Geo. 7
Gilbert 7
Daniel 6
Percy 6
Philip 6
Anthony 5
Archibald 5
Fred 5
Phillip 5
Willm. 5
Christopher 4
Mathew 4
Simon 4
Abel 3
Horace 3
Jacob 3

FAQ

Elliot surname: questions and answers

How common was the Elliot surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,636 people were recorded with the Elliot surname. That placed it at #559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Elliot surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,913 in 2016. That gives Elliot a modern rank of #1,377.

What does the Elliot surname mean?

Derived from a diminutive form of the medieval personal name Elias, ultimately from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, meaning "Yahweh is God."

What does the Elliot map show?

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