NameCensus.

UK surname

Elwin

A surname derived from a place name meaning "elf friend" or "elf companion".

In the 1881 census there were 232 people recorded with the Elwin surname, ranking it #11,677 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 288, ranked #15,180, down from #11,677 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and Workington (Workington), Clossocks. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, Wrexham and Hartlepool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Elwin is 330 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.1%.

1881 census count

232

Ranked #11,677

Modern count

288

2016, ranked #15,180

Peak year

1999

330 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Elwin had 232 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,677 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 288 in 2016, ranked #15,180.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 325 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Elwin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Elwin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Elwin 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 191 #10,808
1861 historical 209 #11,596
1881 historical 232 #11,677
1891 historical 284 #11,542
1901 historical 293 #11,829
1911 historical 325 #10,783
1997 modern 305 #13,377
1998 modern 317 #13,392
1999 modern 330 #13,125
2000 modern 325 #13,221
2001 modern 313 #13,361
2002 modern 316 #13,532
2003 modern 290 #14,134
2004 modern 289 #14,219
2005 modern 296 #13,947
2006 modern 285 #14,361
2007 modern 301 #14,022
2008 modern 302 #14,069
2009 modern 316 #13,933
2010 modern 322 #14,034
2011 modern 305 #14,439
2012 modern 277 #15,375
2013 modern 292 #15,027
2014 modern 305 #14,678
2015 modern 287 #15,235
2016 modern 288 #15,180

Geography

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Where Elwins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary, Workington (Workington), Clossocks and Stranton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Norfolk, Wrexham, Hartlepool, Calderdale and Medway. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
4 Workington (Workington), Clossocks Cumberland
5 Stranton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 006 South Norfolk
2 Wrexham 004 Wrexham
3 Hartlepool 001 Hartlepool
4 Calderdale 020 Calderdale
5 Medway 003 Medway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Elwin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Elwin

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

Elwin is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Elwin falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Elwin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Elwin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Elwin

The surname Elwin has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be a combination of the Old English words "el" meaning "elf" and "win" meaning "friend" or "protector." This suggests the name may have been given to someone who was considered a friend or protector of elves or mythical creatures.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1190, which lists an individual named Elwin de Cotinghe. The Pipe Rolls were a record of financial transactions in medieval England, indicating the name was already in use by that time.

The Elwin name has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Elwinton in Northamptonshire and Elwynton in Staffordshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself or vice versa, reflecting the presence of individuals bearing the name in those areas.

In the 13th century, a prominent individual named Richard Elwin was recorded as a landowner in the county of Somerset. His name appears in the Feet of Fines, a legal document recording land transfers, dated around 1235.

During the 14th century, a notable figure named John Elwin was a prominent cloth merchant in the city of London. Records from the Court of Husting, which dealt with property transactions, mention him in 1365.

Another individual of note was William Elwin, a clergyman born in 1558 in Northamptonshire. He served as the rector of various parishes and was known for his scholarly works on theology and church history.

In the 17th century, Humphrey Elwin, born in 1616 in Suffolk, was a member of the English Parliament during the turbulent period of the English Civil War. He was a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause against King Charles I.

The Elwin surname has also been associated with literary figures, such as the poet and critic Whitwell Elwin, born in 1816 in Norfolk. He was known for his editorship of works by Alexander Pope and John Dryden.

While the surname may have evolved from different spellings and regional variations over time, its roots can be traced back to the ancient English language and the mythological associations with elves and protectors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Elwin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Elwin 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 43 Elwins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.90x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 43 1.90x
Norfolk 42 12.07x
Durham 32 4.75x
Kent 30 3.89x
Lancashire 13 0.48x
Cheshire 10 2.00x
Cumberland 10 5.13x
Surrey 10 0.91x
Flintshire 7 11.51x
Nottinghamshire 7 2.29x
Yorkshire 6 0.27x
Derbyshire 5 1.41x
Cambridgeshire 4 2.79x
Somerset 3 0.82x
Gloucestershire 2 0.45x
Lincolnshire 2 0.55x
Suffolk 2 0.73x
Sussex 2 0.52x
Berkshire 1 0.59x
Warwickshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heigham in Norfolk leads with 13 Elwins recorded in 1881 and an index of 69.63x.

Place Total Index
Heigham 13 69.63x
Kensington London 13 10.33x
Buckenham 11 12222.22x
Dover St James 9 266.27x
Keswick 9 361.45x
Bishopwearmouth 8 13.84x
Hartlepool 8 83.59x
Charlton 7 136.45x
Mold Leeswood 7 507.25x
Norwich St Clement 7 173.70x
Nottingham St Mary 7 8.87x
Canterbury St Dunstan 6 451.13x
St Pancras London 6 3.29x
Bishop Auckland 5 55.37x
Chester St Oswald 5 55.25x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 11.72x
Darlington 5 19.24x
Islington London 5 2.28x
Liverpool 5 3.07x
Sale 5 81.57x
St Luke London 5 13.77x
Allestree 4 888.89x
St George Hanover Square 4 10.03x
Sutton 4 156.25x
Willesden 4 18.75x
Wisbech St Peter 4 55.63x
Godalming 3 43.23x
Norwich St Peter 3 131.58x
St Margarets At Cliffe 3 652.17x
Addington 2 1000.00x
Booton 2 1250.00x
East Rainton 2 153.85x
Great Yarmouth 2 6.94x
Hunton 2 625.00x
Itteringham 2 800.00x
New Sleaford 2 86.21x
Newington 2 2.39x
St Marylebone London 2 1.66x
Westbury On Trym 2 13.30x
Weston Super Mare 2 21.74x
Aston 1 0.64x
Battersea 1 1.20x
Brighton 1 1.30x
Broughton In Salford 1 4.07x
Burpham 1 312.50x
Camberwell 1 0.69x
Caterham 1 20.53x
Christ Church Newgate 1 95.24x
Croydon 1 1.63x
Dartford 1 12.67x
Derby St Werburgh 1 4.89x
Fressingfield 1 112.36x
Gorleston 1 14.29x
Hornby 1 357.14x
Lambeth 1 0.51x
Lewisham 1 2.43x
Little Salkeld 1 1000.00x
Mile End Old Town London 1 2.08x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 1 57.14x
Norwich St Peter Southgate 1 227.27x
Paddington London 1 1.20x
Ryhope 1 21.41x
Shildon 1 18.48x
St Mary Le Strand London 1 121.95x
Stranton 1 4.41x
Sunninghill 1 42.37x
Tunstall 1 29.85x
Walcot 1 5.15x
West Derby 1 1.27x
Wootton 1 833.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 10
William 10
John 9
Thomas 8
Robert 7
Benjamin 5
Charles 5
Edward 4
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
James 3
Samuel 3
Frank 2
Henry 2
Jeken 2
Arhur 1
Christopher 1
Edgar 1
Ellison 1
Fountain 1
Fratton 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harriet 1
Hastings 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
L. 1
Lewis 1
Percival 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Thos.J. 1
Vincent 1
Walter 1
Warwick 1
Whitwell 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Elwin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Elwin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 232 people were recorded with the Elwin surname. That placed it at #11,677 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Elwin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 288 in 2016. That gives Elwin a modern rank of #15,180.

What does the Elwin surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name meaning "elf friend" or "elf companion".

What does the Elwin map show?

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