NameCensus.

UK surname

Elston

From an English place name meaning "Elli's town," derived from the Old English personal name "Elli" combined with "tun" (settlement, town).

In the 1881 census there were 1,447 people recorded with the Elston surname, ranking it #2,876 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,121, ranked #3,049, down from #2,876 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Devon, Mid Devon and Torridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Elston is 2,241 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.6%.

1881 census count

1,447

Ranked #2,876

Modern count

2,121

2016, ranked #3,049

Peak year

2010

2,241 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Elston had 1,447 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,876 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,121 in 2016, ranked #3,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,199 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Elston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Elston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Elston 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 1,100 #2,557
1861 historical 947 #2,929
1881 historical 1,447 #2,876
1891 historical 1,667 #2,692
1901 historical 1,941 #2,726
1911 historical 2,199 #2,293
1997 modern 2,107 #2,928
1998 modern 2,141 #2,990
1999 modern 2,160 #2,989
2000 modern 2,148 #2,986
2001 modern 2,110 #2,972
2002 modern 2,156 #2,975
2003 modern 2,116 #2,963
2004 modern 2,139 #2,939
2005 modern 2,114 #2,933
2006 modern 2,115 #2,933
2007 modern 2,129 #2,944
2008 modern 2,168 #2,919
2009 modern 2,193 #2,955
2010 modern 2,241 #2,966
2011 modern 2,184 #2,994
2012 modern 2,162 #2,958
2013 modern 2,182 #2,989
2014 modern 2,166 #3,030
2015 modern 2,130 #3,047
2016 modern 2,121 #3,049

Geography

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Where Elstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Nottingham St Mary and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Devon, Mid Devon, Torridge, The Vale of Glamorgan and South Holland. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Devon 014 North Devon
2 Mid Devon 011 Mid Devon
3 Torridge 004 Torridge
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 013 Vale of Glamorgan
5 South Holland 003 South Holland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Elston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Elston

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

Elston 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

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

Meaning and origin of Elston

The surname Elston is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the place name Elston, which refers to various locations across England, including villages in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Elvestune" in reference to the village of Elston in Nottinghamshire. This suggests that the name was already in use during the 11th century.

The name Elston is thought to be derived from the Old English words "ælf" meaning "elf" or "supernatural being" and "tun" meaning "farm" or "settlement." This combination likely referred to a settlement or farm associated with elves or supernatural beings in the folklore of the time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "Elvestone" and "Elvestune" in various historical records and manuscripts. One notable individual from this period was William de Elston, who was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1227 in relation to a land dispute in Nottinghamshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Elston became more widespread across England. John Elston (c. 1550-1620), a prominent lawyer and member of the Inner Temple in London, is one of the well-known figures from this time period. Another notable individual was Sir Ralph Elston (1588-1652), a member of Parliament and landowner in Yorkshire.

In the 18th century, the name Elston was associated with several notable individuals, including Samuel Elston (1717-1788), a prominent Baptist minister in London, and Mary Elston (1736-1805), a renowned English ceramicist known for her delicate porcelain figurines.

As the centuries progressed, the Elston surname continued to be found across various parts of England, with several individuals leaving their mark in various fields. Thomas Elston (1808-1888) was a notable architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Midlands region of England, while Sir Arthur Elston (1865-1942) was a distinguished jurist and judge in the British colonial service in India.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Elston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Elston 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. Devon leads with 300 Elstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.18x.

County Total Index
Devon 300 10.18x
Yorkshire 182 1.30x
Middlesex 169 1.19x
Lancashire 141 0.84x
Surrey 135 1.96x
Nottinghamshire 111 5.82x
Lincolnshire 108 4.77x
Somerset 35 1.54x
Durham 29 0.69x
Warwickshire 24 0.67x
Northamptonshire 22 1.65x
Buckinghamshire 20 2.34x
Derbyshire 19 0.86x
Gloucestershire 16 0.58x
Dorset 15 1.61x
Oxfordshire 13 1.49x
Essex 11 0.39x
Glamorgan 11 0.45x
Staffordshire 10 0.21x
Bedfordshire 8 1.09x
Hampshire 8 0.28x
Kent 8 0.17x
Suffolk 8 0.46x
Cheshire 7 0.22x
Cambridgeshire 6 0.67x
Northumberland 5 0.24x
Sussex 5 0.21x
Leicestershire 4 0.25x
Cornwall 3 0.19x
Norfolk 3 0.14x
Renfrewshire 3 0.27x
Royal Navy 3 1.78x
Hertfordshire 2 0.21x
Midlothian 2 0.11x
Berkshire 1 0.09x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.17x
Channel Islands 1 0.24x
Herefordshire 1 0.17x
Wiltshire 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. Crediton in Devon leads with 104 Elstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 372.49x.

Place Total Index
Crediton 104 372.49x
Nottingham St Mary 44 8.92x
Ecclesall Bierlow 36 12.62x
Layton With Warbreck 33 53.55x
Sheffield 31 6.94x
Kensington London 26 3.30x
Islington London 25 1.82x
Camberwell 24 2.65x
Sculcoates 23 10.34x
St Pancras London 21 1.84x
Brightside Bierlow 20 7.27x
Exeter St Sidwell 19 28.16x
Morchard Bishop 18 292.68x
St Marylebone London 18 2.38x
West Derby 18 3.66x
Manchester 17 2.25x
Lambeth 16 1.30x
Shobrooke 16 512.82x
Whitchurch Canonicorum 15 290.70x
Grantham 14 47.46x
Poplar London 14 5.24x
Aston 13 1.32x
Bowling 13 9.36x
Clapham 13 7.35x
Penge 13 14.38x
St George In East London 13 9.76x
Chertsey 12 26.92x
Exeter St David 12 47.68x
Basford 11 12.51x
Carlton 11 50.53x
Kingston On Thames 11 6.64x
Rushden 11 61.76x
Silverton 11 179.45x
Tormoham 11 8.82x
Boston 10 14.56x
Lytham 10 39.00x
Rushall 10 35.56x
Cheltenham 9 4.20x
Chittlehampton 9 123.80x
Eccleston In Prescot 9 10.67x
Everton 9 1.68x
Hockerton 9 1836.73x
Kirkdale 9 3.19x
Northampton St Giles 9 17.75x
Plymouth St Andrew 9 3.97x
Stoke Poges 9 86.21x
Birmingham 8 0.67x
Elsfield 8 975.61x
Handsworth 8 21.58x
Horton In Bradford 8 3.65x
New Sleaford 8 55.17x
North Wheatley 8 425.53x
Paignton 8 35.68x
Shoreditch London 8 1.30x
Welby 8 423.28x
Winkbourn 8 1250.00x
Bishopwearmouth Panns 7 777.78x
Bourn 7 38.29x
Bridgewater 7 11.32x
Bury 7 3.65x
Chard 7 25.36x
Chulmleigh 7 104.32x
Compton 7 304.35x
Fulham London 7 3.41x
Gainsborough 7 13.12x
Hackney London 7 0.88x
Holy Trinity 7 2.07x
Luton 7 5.52x
Nether Hallam 7 3.69x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 7 21.99x
Bedminster 6 2.80x
Bermondsey 6 1.42x
Bishopwearmouth 6 1.66x
Crewkerne 6 24.79x
Guildford St Nicholas 6 49.22x
Kenton 6 64.59x
Stony Stratford West 6 101.87x
Thorney 6 60.24x
Tunstall 6 28.63x
Wisley 6 666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 117
Elizabeth 66
Sarah 63
Jane 31
Emma 28
Annie 26
Eliza 26
Ellen 22
Alice 18
Ann 18
Emily 16
Fanny 13
Hannah 13
Harriet 11
Amelia 10
Kate 9
Caroline 8
Charlotte 8
Florence 8
Lucy 8
Susan 8
Edith 7
Martha 7
Anna 6
Margaret 6
Maria 6
Ada 5
Louisa 5
Catherine 4
Frances 4
Lilly 4
Minnie 4
Rebecca 4
Rose 4
Susannah 4
Agnes 3
Amy 3
Anne 3
Clara 3
Dorothy 3
Elizth. 3
Ethel 3
Jessie 3
Nelly 3
Rhoda 3
Ruth 3
Annette 2
Lavinia 2
Maud 2
Mildred 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 111
John 94
George 62
Thomas 50
James 48
Henry 33
Joseph 21
Samuel 21
Alfred 18
Arthur 18
Charles 16
Richard 16
Ernest 12
Robert 12
Edward 11
Frederick 11
Albert 10
Harry 9
Elias 6
Frank 6
Fred 6
Walter 6
Wm. 6
Edwin 4
Geo. 4
Herbert 4
Stephen 4
Tom 4
Benjamin 3
Chas. 3
David 3
Thos. 3
Daniel 2
Georg 2
Jno. 2
Percy 2
Ralph 2
Sidney 2
Abraham 1
Alexander 1
Benj. 1
Bernard 1
Bertie 1
Edgar 1
Edmond 1
Edmund 1
Frances 1
Harold 1
Harriet 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Elston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Elston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,447 people were recorded with the Elston surname. That placed it at #2,876 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Elston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,121 in 2016. That gives Elston a modern rank of #3,049.

What does the Elston surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "Elli's town," derived from the Old English personal name "Elli" combined with "tun" (settlement, town).

What does the Elston map show?

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