NameCensus.

UK surname

Elliott

A surname derived from a medieval diminutive of the Greek name Elias, meaning "Jehovah is God."

In the 1881 census there were 25,315 people recorded with the Elliott surname, ranking it #130 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 41,022, ranked #120, up from #130 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Northumberland and South Tyneside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Elliott is 42,769 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.0%.

1881 census count

25,315

Ranked #130

Modern count

41,022

2016, ranked #120

Peak year

1999

42,769 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Elliott had 25,315 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #130 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 41,022 in 2016, ranked #120.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 37,690 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Elliott surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Elliott surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Elliott 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 15,667 #140
1861 historical 17,027 #124
1881 historical 25,315 #130
1891 historical 28,971 #118
1901 historical 34,625 #119
1911 historical 37,690 #100
1997 modern 41,297 #107
1998 modern 42,579 #107
1999 modern 42,769 #110
2000 modern 42,532 #109
2001 modern 41,517 #109
2002 modern 42,162 #113
2003 modern 40,878 #116
2004 modern 40,843 #116
2005 modern 40,093 #116
2006 modern 40,121 #117
2007 modern 40,241 #117
2008 modern 40,434 #117
2009 modern 41,361 #117
2010 modern 42,125 #116
2011 modern 41,451 #117
2012 modern 40,577 #119
2013 modern 41,337 #119
2014 modern 41,662 #119
2015 modern 41,180 #119
2016 modern 41,022 #120

Geography

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Where Elliotts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Northumberland and South Tyneside. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales
2 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
3 South Tyneside 019 South Tyneside
4 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
5 Northumberland 035 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Elliott

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Elliott

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Elliott 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

Elliott 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

Elliott falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Elliott

The surname Elliott has its origins in Scotland, emerging in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name Eliot, which means "all-conquering." The name is believed to have originated in the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the counties of Roxburghshire and Dumfriesshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where it appears as "Eliot." This document was a record of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

In the 14th century, the spelling variations of the name included Elyot, Elyet, and Elyott. These variations were commonly found in medieval records and manuscripts from that period.

The name is also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Elliotston in Roxburghshire and Elliot Water, a tributary of the River Teviot. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the Elliott surname who settled in or owned land in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Elliott throughout history include:

1. Sir John Elliott (1598-1668), an English diplomat and member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles I. 2. John Elliott (1725-1786), an American merchant and politician from Massachusetts who played a significant role in the American Revolution. 3. Ebenezer Elliott (1781-1849), an English poet and activist known as the "Corn Law Rhymer" for his efforts to repeal the Corn Laws, which restricted the import of grain. 4. Jesse D. Elliott (1782-1845), an American naval officer who served in the War of 1812 and later became a commodore in the United States Navy. 5. Charles Loring Elliott (1812-1868), an American landscape painter and one of the founders of the Hudson River School, renowned for his depictions of the American wilderness.

Throughout its history, the Elliott surname has been associated with various notable individuals, from politicians and military figures to artists and writers, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who bear this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Elliott families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Elliott 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. Middlesex leads with 2,549 Elliotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.03x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 2,549 1.03x
Yorkshire 2,508 1.02x
Durham 2,322 3.15x
Northumberland 1,916 5.20x
Lancashire 1,545 0.53x
Surrey 1,414 1.17x
Devon 1,181 2.29x
Derbyshire 1,136 2.93x
Kent 1,079 1.28x
Sussex 1,012 2.42x
Nottinghamshire 781 2.34x
Hampshire 638 1.26x
Leicestershire 564 2.05x
Warwickshire 556 0.89x
Gloucestershire 525 1.08x
Cumberland 443 2.08x
Somerset 410 1.03x
Essex 389 0.80x
Northamptonshire 360 1.54x
Wiltshire 333 1.52x
Dorset 321 1.97x
Staffordshire 305 0.36x
Buckinghamshire 246 1.64x
Glamorgan 241 0.56x
Lanarkshire 237 0.30x
Berkshire 225 1.21x
Cornwall 211 0.75x
Suffolk 182 0.60x
Norfolk 172 0.45x
Lincolnshire 170 0.43x
Cheshire 144 0.26x
Hertfordshire 137 0.80x
Oxfordshire 120 0.78x
Bedfordshire 104 0.81x
Monmouthshire 95 0.53x
Worcestershire 81 0.25x
Shropshire 67 0.31x
Roxburghshire 54 1.20x
Berwickshire 49 1.63x
Renfrewshire 49 0.26x
Herefordshire 48 0.47x
Channel Islands 47 0.64x
Huntingdonshire 42 0.85x
Ayrshire 38 0.20x
Midlothian 34 0.10x
Royal Navy 33 1.12x
Westmorland 29 0.53x
Pembrokeshire 28 0.36x
Cambridgeshire 27 0.17x
Isle of Man 27 0.59x
Rutland 27 1.48x
Angus 25 0.11x
Dumfriesshire 19 0.35x
Dunbartonshire 18 0.27x
Selkirkshire 18 0.80x
Flintshire 11 0.17x
Anglesey 10 0.23x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.04x
Brecknockshire 7 0.14x
Fife 6 0.04x
Argyllshire 5 0.07x
Montgomeryshire 5 0.09x
Wigtownshire 5 0.15x
Denbighshire 4 0.04x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.03x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.03x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 0.08x
Cardiganshire 2 0.03x
Stirlingshire 2 0.02x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.05x
Perthshire 1 0.01x
Radnorshire 1 0.05x
West Lothian 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 272 Elliotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.26x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 272 1.26x
Gateshead 267 4.84x
Islington London 255 1.06x
St Pancras London 240 1.20x
Nottingham St Mary 236 2.73x
Westoe 189 4.52x
Brighton 184 2.18x
Ecclesall Bierlow 177 3.54x
Bishopwearmouth 176 2.78x
Sheffield 157 2.01x
Bethnal Green London 152 1.41x
Portsea 152 1.53x
Leicester St Margaret 148 2.21x
Shoreditch London 141 1.31x
Birmingham 137 0.66x
St Marylebone London 132 1.00x
West Ham 132 1.22x
Leeds 130 0.94x
Camberwell 120 0.76x
Nether Hallam 117 3.52x
Bradfield 115 12.14x
Deptford St Paul 114 1.75x
Plymouth St Andrew 114 2.87x
Hammersmith London 113 1.85x
Hackney London 111 0.80x
Great Little Marsden 110 8.16x
Westgate 106 4.64x
Aston 104 0.60x
Liverpool 104 0.58x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 100 4.54x
Stanhope 100 13.13x
St George Hanover Square 98 2.24x
Kensington London 93 0.67x
Newington 93 1.02x
Manchester 92 0.70x
Everton 91 0.97x
Brightside Bierlow 89 1.85x
Elswick 87 2.96x
Alfreton 84 7.12x
Ecclesfield 83 4.61x
Stoke Damerel 82 2.27x
Portland 79 9.03x
Bermondsey 78 1.06x
Barony 77 0.38x
Mile End Old Town London 76 1.44x
Battersea 75 0.82x
Chelsea London 75 1.00x
Paddington London 73 0.80x
Tormoham 73 3.34x
Bedlington 72 5.85x
Alnwick 71 11.20x
Newcastle On Tyne St 71 3.71x
Brixham 67 11.21x
Longbenton 67 4.29x
West Derby 67 0.78x
Moss Side 64 4.14x
Tynemouth 63 3.19x
Basford 62 4.03x
Croydon 62 0.92x
Holy Trinity 61 1.03x
Preston 61 0.78x
Wallsend 60 5.13x
Rotherhithe 59 1.93x
Bromley London 58 1.06x
Byker 58 3.18x
Govan 58 0.29x
Radford 57 3.36x
Clerkenwell London 56 0.96x
Glasgow 55 0.39x
Tottenham 54 1.37x
Kirdford 53 36.53x
Lewisham 53 1.18x
Plumstead 53 1.88x
East Stonehouse 52 5.12x
Hampstead London 52 1.35x
Heworth 52 3.58x
Hulme 52 0.85x
Whickham 52 7.66x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 51 1.60x
Toxteth Park 51 0.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,761
Elizabeth 1,082
Sarah 811
Jane 592
Ann 464
Annie 390
Ellen 354
Margaret 338
Emma 327
Eliza 322
Alice 304
Hannah 286
Emily 267
Isabella 184
Martha 177
Louisa 171
Edith 165
Caroline 161
Fanny 144
Charlotte 137
Florence 137
Maria 120
Harriet 116
Kate 114
Ada 113
Harriett 112
Catherine 109
Frances 107
Clara 94
Agnes 86
Susan 79
Anne 77
Rose 76
Lucy 69
Eleanor 61
Amelia 55
Amy 54
Jessie 53
Minnie 53
Matilda 52
Sophia 52
Rebecca 49
Esther 48
Gertrude 45
Elizth. 42
Anna 41
Ethel 40
Dorothy 39
Julia 38
Ruth 38

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1,605
John 1,549
George 984
Thomas 915
James 742
Joseph 511
Henry 494
Charles 469
Robert 447
Edward 281
Alfred 236
Arthur 231
Frederick 204
Samuel 182
Richard 173
Albert 165
Walter 154
Frank 124
Harry 119
Edwin 115
Ernest 105
Herbert 80
David 73
Francis 69
Benjamin 61
Wm. 60
Andrew 48
Daniel 44
Thos. 44
Fred 43
Stephen 37
Tom 36
Matthew 34
Geo. 31
Percy 31
Peter 29
Ralph 29
Christopher 28
Isaac 28
Alexander 25
Sidney 24
Edmund 22
Chas. 21
Fredk. 21
Mark 21
Fredrick 20
Robt. 20
Philip 19
Anthony 18
Leonard 17

Top occupations

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 Elliott households.

FAQ

Elliott surname: questions and answers

How common was the Elliott surname in 1881?

In 1881, 25,315 people were recorded with the Elliott surname. That placed it at #130 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Elliott surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 41,022 in 2016. That gives Elliott a modern rank of #120.

What does the Elliott surname mean?

A surname derived from a medieval diminutive of the Greek name Elias, meaning "Jehovah is God."

What does the Elliott map show?

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