NameCensus.

UK surname

Elvin

A surname derived from the Old English "ælf" meaning elf or supernatural being.

In the 1881 census there were 1,057 people recorded with the Elvin surname, ranking it #3,725 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,192, ranked #2,960, up from #3,725 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Louth, London parishes and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, Waveney and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Elvin is 2,222 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 107.4%.

1881 census count

1,057

Ranked #3,725

Modern count

2,192

2016, ranked #2,960

Peak year

2014

2,222 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Elvin had 1,057 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,725 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,192 in 2016, ranked #2,960.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,502 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Elvin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Elvin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Elvin 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 570 #4,463
1861 historical 562 #4,687
1881 historical 1,057 #3,725
1891 historical 1,104 #3,837
1901 historical 1,406 #3,590
1911 historical 1,502 #3,211
1997 modern 2,130 #2,900
1998 modern 2,168 #2,954
1999 modern 2,173 #2,971
2000 modern 2,168 #2,957
2001 modern 2,119 #2,959
2002 modern 2,121 #3,017
2003 modern 2,101 #2,982
2004 modern 2,097 #2,988
2005 modern 2,077 #2,972
2006 modern 2,081 #2,975
2007 modern 2,100 #2,987
2008 modern 2,141 #2,955
2009 modern 2,182 #2,972
2010 modern 2,193 #3,021
2011 modern 2,189 #2,988
2012 modern 2,142 #2,988
2013 modern 2,199 #2,968
2014 modern 2,222 #2,955
2015 modern 2,198 #2,955
2016 modern 2,192 #2,960

Geography

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Where Elvins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Louth, London parishes, Glasgow, Sheffield and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Norfolk, Waveney, County Durham and Breckland. 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 Louth Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 015 South Norfolk
2 Waveney 015 Waveney
3 County Durham 008 County Durham
4 South Norfolk 005 South Norfolk
5 Breckland 011 Breckland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Elvin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Elvin

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Elvin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Elvin 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

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

Meaning and origin of Elvin

The surname ELVIN has its origins in England, tracing back to the late Anglo-Saxon and early Norman periods of the 11th century. It is believed to be a variant of the Old English name Ælfwine, which is composed of the elements "ælf" meaning "elf" and "wine" meaning "friend" or "protector". This name was likely given to someone who was thought to be under the protection of elves or fairies, reflecting the pagan beliefs of the time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ELVIN is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Alwine" and "Aluuine". This comprehensive survey of landholdings in England, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution and variations of surnames during the medieval period.

The surname ELVIN has also been linked to various place names, such as Elvin's Green, a hamlet in Warwickshire, and Elvin's Leys, a field name in Oxfordshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and regional variations of the surname.

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname ELVIN throughout history are:

1. Robert Elvin (c. 1430-1508), a prominent English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. 2. William Elvin (1556-1617), an English clergyman and author, known for his work "The Course of the Philistine War" published in 1609. 3. Samuel Elvin (1672-1748), a successful businessman and landowner in Essex, who served as the High Sheriff of Essex in 1725. 4. Elizabeth Elvin (1735-1811), a notable English diarist and author, whose journals provide valuable insights into the social and cultural life of the 18th century. 5. John Elvin (1798-1873), a respected English architect and surveyor, known for his work on various churches and public buildings in the county of Kent.

These are just a few examples of individuals who carried the surname ELVIN throughout history, each contributing to the rich tapestry of this name's legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Elvin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Elvin 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. Norfolk leads with 236 Elvins recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.91x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 236 14.91x
Lincolnshire 175 10.64x
Middlesex 147 1.43x
Yorkshire 117 1.15x
Suffolk 102 8.14x
Surrey 47 0.94x
Lanarkshire 33 0.99x
Essex 27 1.33x
Durham 23 0.75x
Lancashire 19 0.16x
Angus 12 1.26x
Cambridgeshire 12 1.84x
Derbyshire 11 0.68x
Kent 11 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.72x
Northumberland 8 0.52x
Renfrewshire 8 1.00x
Warwickshire 8 0.31x
Midlothian 7 0.51x
Devon 6 0.28x
Dumfriesshire 6 2.64x
Gloucestershire 6 0.30x
Hertfordshire 6 0.85x
Somerset 5 0.30x
Cornwall 3 0.26x
Worcestershire 3 0.22x
Cheshire 2 0.09x
Leicestershire 2 0.18x
Cumberland 1 0.11x
Flintshire 1 0.36x
Sussex 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hempnall in Norfolk leads with 28 Elvins recorded in 1881 and an index of 903.23x.

Place Total Index
Hempnall 28 903.23x
Glasgow 21 3.55x
Beccles 20 99.11x
Southcoates 20 35.33x
Islington London 19 1.90x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 19 40.00x
Wymondham 19 117.43x
Ipswich St Mathew 17 48.39x
Swaby 17 1164.38x
Bethnal Green London 15 3.36x
Camberwell 14 2.13x
Forncett St Peter 14 645.16x
Lakenham 14 62.28x
Louth 14 37.13x
Mile End Old Town London 13 5.94x
Spitalfields London 13 16.79x
Brightside Bierlow 12 6.00x
Dundee 12 3.37x
Newington 12 3.16x
Wicklewood 11 426.36x
Moulton St Michael 10 793.65x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 4.83x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 3.37x
Aslacton 9 849.06x
Hackney London 9 1.56x
Hameringham 9 1451.61x
Heigham 9 10.60x
St Giles 9 47.10x
Worsbrough 9 30.12x
Castle Acre 8 170.21x
Edmonton 8 9.65x
Great Burstead 8 108.25x
Handsworth 8 29.67x
Lowestoft 8 13.51x
Norwich St Paul 8 84.48x
Skircoat 8 19.89x
Stradbroke 8 189.13x
Upwell 8 167.36x
Aston 7 0.98x
Benniworth 7 522.39x
Bucknall 7 593.22x
Chirton 7 20.20x
Dodworth 7 66.10x
Edinburgh St Stephens 7 25.79x
Gayton Le Marsh 7 804.60x
Govan 7 0.85x
Louth Park 7 1458.33x
Market Rasen 7 76.09x
Palling 7 432.10x
St Giles Cripplegate 7 51.24x
St Martin Lincoln 7 45.84x
St Pancras London 7 0.85x
Weston 7 744.68x
Whitefriars Precinct 7 424.24x
Wortham 7 208.96x
Attleborough 6 75.09x
Bromley London 6 2.65x
Dryfesdale 6 57.25x
Hammersmith London 6 2.37x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 4.52x
Holy Trinity 6 2.45x
Kensworth 6 259.74x
Shoreditch London 6 1.34x
Stoke Damerel 6 4.00x
Swinderby 6 337.08x
Thorpe Next Norwich 6 35.78x
Barnsley 5 4.75x
Bedminster 5 3.21x
Capel St Andrew 5 714.29x
Clee With Weelsby 5 13.88x
East Dereham 5 25.01x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 2.41x
Frindsbury 5 37.79x
Heighington 5 190.11x
Newland 5 29.48x
Pilsley 5 93.99x
Ratcliffe London 5 8.80x
Sotby 5 735.29x
Tupton 5 103.31x
Westoe 5 2.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 66
William 52
George 39
Charles 35
James 34
Robert 25
Thomas 23
Henry 21
Joseph 18
Arthur 12
Frederick 12
Walter 10
Alfred 9
Daniel 8
David 8
Edward 8
Samuel 7
Albert 6
Harry 6
Herbert 6
Benjamin 5
Frank 5
Wm. 4
Amos 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Richard 3
Thos. 3
Benjemin 2
Edgar 2
Elijah 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Horace 2
J. 2
Jas. 2
Zachariah 2
Arther 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Edley 1
Edmund 1
Edwd.J. 1
Enoch 1
Enor 1
Jeremiah 1
Jesse 1
Joe 1

FAQ

Elvin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Elvin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,057 people were recorded with the Elvin surname. That placed it at #3,725 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Elvin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,192 in 2016. That gives Elvin a modern rank of #2,960.

What does the Elvin surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English "ælf" meaning elf or supernatural being.

What does the Elvin map show?

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