NameCensus.

UK surname

Elphick

An English surname derived from a Middle English nickname for an elf or trickster.

In the 1881 census there were 1,000 people recorded with the Elphick surname, ranking it #3,904 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,185, ranked #5,017, down from #3,904 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes and Hurstmonceux, Wartling. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rother and Wealden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Elphick is 1,464 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.5%.

1881 census count

1,000

Ranked #3,904

Modern count

1,185

2016, ranked #5,017

Peak year

1911

1,464 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Elphick had 1,000 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,904 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,185 in 2016, ranked #5,017.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,464 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Elphick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Elphick surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Elphick 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 671 #3,869
1861 historical 639 #4,192
1881 historical 1,000 #3,904
1891 historical 1,120 #3,793
1901 historical 1,380 #3,642
1911 historical 1,464 #3,292
1997 modern 1,318 #4,351
1998 modern 1,327 #4,468
1999 modern 1,355 #4,426
2000 modern 1,329 #4,482
2001 modern 1,288 #4,519
2002 modern 1,279 #4,641
2003 modern 1,261 #4,612
2004 modern 1,229 #4,705
2005 modern 1,186 #4,814
2006 modern 1,175 #4,862
2007 modern 1,169 #4,919
2008 modern 1,180 #4,900
2009 modern 1,215 #4,888
2010 modern 1,242 #4,901
2011 modern 1,229 #4,883
2012 modern 1,216 #4,859
2013 modern 1,231 #4,892
2014 modern 1,249 #4,848
2015 modern 1,212 #4,931
2016 modern 1,185 #5,017

Geography

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Where Elphicks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes, Hurstmonceux, Wartling and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rother and Wealden. 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 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Hurstmonceux, Wartling Sussex
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rother 007 Rother
2 Wealden 018 Wealden
3 Wealden 010 Wealden
4 Rother 008 Rother
5 Wealden 014 Wealden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Elphick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Elphick

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Elphick is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Elphick is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Elphick falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Elphick

The surname Elphick is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the county of Sussex, particularly in the areas around the town of Horsham.

One of the earliest known references to the name Elphick can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where a John Elphik is listed. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 13th century.

The name Elphick is thought to be derived from the Old English words "ælf" and "wic," which together translate to "elf dwelling" or "elf village." This could indicate that the name initially referred to a place where elves or otherworldly beings were believed to reside.

A notable early bearer of the surname Elphick was William Elphick, a wealthy landowner who lived in the village of Shipley, near Horsham, in the late 15th century. Records from 1487 show that he was involved in legal disputes over property boundaries.

By the 16th century, variations of the spelling, such as Elphicke and Elficke, began to appear in historical documents. In 1538, a Thomas Elphicke was recorded as a witness in a court case in Lewes, East Sussex.

One of the earliest known ancestors with the surname Elphick was John Elphick, born around 1580 in Horsham, Sussex. He was a farmer and landowner, and his descendants continued to live in the Horsham area for generations.

Another notable figure with the Elphick surname was Richard Elphick, born in 1745 in East Sussex. He was a renowned clockmaker and watchmaker, and his intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the local gentry.

In the 19th century, the name Elphick spread beyond Sussex as families migrated to other parts of England and even abroad. One such individual was James Elphick, born in 1823 in Horsham, who later became a successful merchant in Australia after emigrating there in the 1850s.

Throughout history, the Elphick surname has been associated with various occupations, including farming, clockmaking, and merchanting, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore this unique name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Elphick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Elphick 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. Sussex leads with 478 Elphicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.06x.

County Total Index
Sussex 478 29.06x
Kent 151 4.54x
Middlesex 136 1.39x
Surrey 128 2.69x
Essex 14 0.73x
Lincolnshire 14 0.90x
Shropshire 11 1.31x
Yorkshire 11 0.11x
Berkshire 7 0.96x
Cheshire 6 0.28x
Huntingdonshire 6 3.10x
Lanarkshire 6 0.19x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.85x
Gloucestershire 5 0.26x
Hertfordshire 5 0.74x
Lancashire 5 0.04x
Bedfordshire 3 0.59x
Devon 3 0.15x
Hampshire 3 0.15x
East Lothian 1 0.77x
Northumberland 1 0.07x
Suffolk 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 51 Elphicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.37x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 51 15.37x
Eastbourne 40 52.85x
Herstmonceaux 35 707.07x
Hastings St Mary 24 58.64x
Westham 24 716.42x
Lambeth 20 2.35x
Barcombe 19 481.01x
Croydon 17 6.44x
East Grinstead 17 73.02x
Hackney London 17 3.11x
Lewisham 17 9.58x
Islington London 16 1.69x
Bexhill 15 182.93x
Fletching 15 203.80x
Hammersmith London 14 5.83x
Hove 14 19.40x
Horsham 13 40.69x
Hadlow 12 145.45x
Tonbridge 11 9.16x
Hastings St Mary In The 10 28.50x
Hendon 10 28.49x
St Marylebone London 10 1.92x
Wellington 10 21.11x
Camberwell 9 1.44x
Hastings St Clement 9 58.14x
Hastings St Leonards 9 37.22x
Leigh 9 206.90x
Lewes St John Southover 9 81.45x
Newick 9 248.62x
Northiam 9 223.33x
Wimbledon 9 16.86x
Deptford St Paul 8 3.12x
Eltham 8 41.03x
Hastings All Sts 8 51.61x
Lewes St John Under 8 357.14x
Luddesdown 8 879.12x
Maresfield 8 115.44x
Mitcham 8 26.63x
Plumstead 8 7.21x
Preston 8 27.86x
Reigate Borough 8 72.99x
St George Hanover Square 8 4.65x
Wartling 8 400.00x
Battersea 7 1.95x
Cliffe 7 125.90x
Cowden 7 322.58x
Crowhurst 7 496.45x
Dorking 7 21.93x
Ewhurst 7 191.78x
Greenwich 7 4.51x
Kensington London 7 1.29x
Leeds 7 1.28x
Lindfield 7 100.72x
Reigate Foreign 7 13.60x
Spittlegate 7 32.45x
Ashburnham 6 232.56x
Chelsea London 6 2.04x
East Molesey 6 54.40x
Edmonton 6 7.63x
Fulham London 6 4.24x
Grays Thurrock 6 33.52x
Hooe 6 382.17x
Limber Magna 6 368.10x
Mile End Old Town London 6 2.89x
Richmond 6 9.01x
Seaford 6 107.33x
St Neots 6 56.98x
Ash Next Sandwich 5 67.93x
Barony 5 0.63x
Chesham 5 23.01x
Cheshunt 5 21.28x
East Peckham 5 72.36x
Hampstead London 5 3.29x
Hornsey 5 4.05x
New Shoreham 5 50.71x
Openshaw 5 9.22x
Selmeston 5 793.65x
Shoreham 5 105.49x
Hamsey 4 216.22x
Hastings St Andrew 4 67.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 49
Elizabeth 30
Ellen 24
Emily 23
Annie 22
Alice 18
Emma 17
Sarah 17
Caroline 16
Jane 16
Fanny 13
Ann 11
Frances 11
Martha 11
Eliza 10
Florence 10
Edith 9
Louisa 8
Maria 8
Clara 7
Ada 6
Charlotte 6
Hannah 6
Harriet 6
Rosa 6
Agnes 5
Amelia 5
Anne 5
Catherine 5
Esther 5
Kate 5
Minnie 5
Harriett 4
Margaret 4
Nellie 4
Bessie 3
Eleanor 3
Laura 3
Lucy 3
Mabel 3
Maude 3
Selina 3
Beatrice 2
Elisa 2
Eva 2
Mable 2
Naomi 2
Philadelphia 2
Phoebe 2
Rebecca 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 52
George 51
James 33
John 29
Charles 27
Henry 26
Edward 24
Alfred 18
Frederick 16
Walter 16
Thomas 14
Harry 11
Albert 8
Arthur 8
Joseph 8
Samuel 8
Herbert 6
Richard 6
Edwin 5
Frank 5
David 4
Ernest 4
Caleb 3
Charley 3
Fredrick 3
Percy 3
Aaron 2
Adolphus 2
Ardern 2
Benjamin 2
Cecil 2
Cornelius 2
Edmund 2
Eli 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Horace 2
Hubert 2
Jesse 2
Job 2
Moses 2
Philip 2
Robert 2
Sidney 2
Sydney 2
Archibald 1
Edgar 1
Edwr. 1
Enoch 1
Jas.Hy 1

FAQ

Elphick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Elphick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,000 people were recorded with the Elphick surname. That placed it at #3,904 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Elphick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,185 in 2016. That gives Elphick a modern rank of #5,017.

What does the Elphick surname mean?

An English surname derived from a Middle English nickname for an elf or trickster.

What does the Elphick map show?

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