NameCensus.

UK surname

Jellis

A variant spelling of the English surname Ellis, itself from an old diminutive of Elias.

In the 1881 census there were 271 people recorded with the Jellis surname, ranking it #10,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 350, ranked #13,152, down from #10,449 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Flitwick, Marsworth, Long Marston(pt), Puttenham and Winwick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Aylesbury Vale, Derbyshire Dales and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jellis is 396 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.2%.

1881 census count

271

Ranked #10,449

Modern count

350

2016, ranked #13,152

Peak year

2002

396 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jellis had 271 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,449 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 350 in 2016, ranked #13,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 384 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Jellis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jellis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jellis 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 161 #12,288
1861 historical 147 #15,539
1881 historical 271 #10,449
1891 historical 314 #10,694
1901 historical 307 #11,472
1911 historical 384 #9,571
1997 modern 380 #11,418
1998 modern 386 #11,668
1999 modern 388 #11,696
2000 modern 392 #11,564
2001 modern 387 #11,484
2002 modern 396 #11,523
2003 modern 384 #11,589
2004 modern 372 #11,886
2005 modern 354 #12,270
2006 modern 350 #12,448
2007 modern 352 #12,546
2008 modern 351 #12,661
2009 modern 363 #12,602
2010 modern 367 #12,775
2011 modern 357 #12,915
2012 modern 335 #13,408
2013 modern 357 #12,984
2014 modern 365 #12,853
2015 modern 356 #13,009
2016 modern 350 #13,152

Geography

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Where Jellis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Flitwick, Marsworth, Long Marston(pt), Puttenham, Winwick, Tring and Hargrave. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Aylesbury Vale, Derbyshire Dales, Central Bedfordshire, North Hertfordshire and Mendip. 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 Flitwick Bedfordshire
2 Marsworth, Long Marston(pt), Puttenham Hertfordshire
3 Winwick Northamptonshire
4 Tring Hertfordshire
5 Hargrave Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Aylesbury Vale 009 Aylesbury Vale
2 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales
3 Central Bedfordshire 017 Central Bedfordshire
4 North Hertfordshire 003 North Hertfordshire
5 Mendip 014 Mendip

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jellis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jellis

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

Jellis is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Jellis falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Jellis

The surname Jellis is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English personal name Gellys or Gellius, which in turn comes from the Latin name Gellius. This name was borne by several early saints, including St. Gellius, a 6th century bishop of Caerleon in Wales.

The earliest known recorded instance of the surname Jellis can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1230, which mention a William Gellis. Other early spellings of the name include Gellys, Jellys, and Jelys. The surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire during the Middle Ages.

One notable historical figure with the surname Jellis was John Jellis, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Bristol who lived in the late 16th century. He is recorded as having made significant donations to the city's churches and charitable organizations.

In the 17th century, the name appears in parish records from the village of Melbury Osmond in Dorset, where a family of Jellises resided for several generations. A notable member of this family was William Jellis (1632-1701), a prosperous farmer and landowner.

Another individual of historical significance was Thomas Jellis (1758-1839), a prominent architect from Bath who designed several notable buildings in that city, including the Grand Parade and the Sydney Gardens.

Other notable bearers of the surname Jellis throughout history include:

- Richard Jellis (1618-1688), a Puritan minister and author from Gloucestershire. - Mary Jellis (1782-1859), a philanthropist and founder of a school for poor children in Bristol. - James Jellis (1823-1901), a British explorer and surveyor who mapped parts of Canada and Australia. - William Henry Jellis (1846-1922), a successful businessman and politician who served as Mayor of Bristol in the late 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jellis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jellis 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. Bedfordshire leads with 70 Jellis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.14x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 70 51.14x
Northamptonshire 55 22.12x
Buckinghamshire 43 26.91x
Middlesex 26 0.98x
Hertfordshire 22 12.07x
Huntingdonshire 11 20.96x
Leicestershire 7 2.39x
Warwickshire 7 1.05x
Cheshire 6 1.03x
Lancashire 6 0.19x
Kent 5 0.55x
Surrey 5 0.39x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.79x
Essex 2 0.38x
Yorkshire 2 0.08x
Gloucestershire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Flitwick in Bedfordshire leads with 57 Jellis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7702.70x.

Place Total Index
Flitwick 57 7702.70x
Pitstone 24 5581.40x
Tring 16 329.22x
Hargrave 14 4375.00x
Marsworth 11 2682.93x
Winwick In Oundle 10 3703.70x
Chelsea London 9 11.30x
Glinton 9 2500.00x
Aston 7 3.81x
Birkenhead 6 12.90x
Great Creaton 6 2142.86x
Ivinghoe 6 480.00x
Leicester St Margaret 6 8.39x
Naseby 6 1090.91x
Acton 5 32.26x
Chelveston Cum Caldecott 5 1315.79x
Aldbury 4 481.93x
Byfleet 4 347.83x
Chipping Barnet 4 579.71x
Elton 4 547.95x
Everton 4 4.00x
Luton 4 16.88x
St Pancras London 4 1.88x
East Malling 3 138.89x
Leighton 3 1000.00x
Leighton Buzzard 3 50.93x
Shelton 3 2142.86x
Whilton 3 937.50x
Fenny Stratford 2 132.45x
Hornchurch 2 78.13x
Huntingdon St Mary 2 152.67x
Poplar London 2 4.01x
St Marylebone London 2 1.42x
Wigginton 2 312.50x
Bedford St Peter 1 28.09x
Chatteris 1 23.42x
Cheltenham 1 2.50x
Fen Ditton 1 166.67x
Fletton 1 59.52x
Hamerton 1 588.24x
Lambeth 1 0.43x
Leeds 1 0.68x
Leire 1 384.62x
Lewisham 1 2.08x
Northborough 1 526.32x
Oundle 1 35.97x
Shillington 1 49.51x
Thorney 1 53.76x
Tonbridge 1 3.07x
Walton On Hill 1 5.89x
West Derby 1 1.09x
Westoning 1 169.49x
York St Nicholas In 1 68.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Sarah 19
Elizabeth 14
Ann 7
Susan 7
Emma 5
Jane 5
Ellen 4
Alice 3
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Julia 3
Zilpah 3
Anna 2
Annie 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Naomi 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eliz 1
Elizebeth 1
Emily 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Marettea 1
Marian 1
Marion 1
Penelope 1
Rebecca 1
Sarha 1
Sophia 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 16
John 14
Thomas 13
Joseph 8
George 6
James 6
Charles 5
Frederick 5
Walter 5
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Daniel 3
Frank 3
Henry 3
Richard 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 2
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Cornelius 1
Danie 1
David 1
Ebenezer 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Harry 1
Jabez 1
Jesse 1
Jonathan 1
Josiah 1
Lemual 1
Leonard 1
Louis 1
Moses 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Jellis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jellis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 271 people were recorded with the Jellis surname. That placed it at #10,449 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jellis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 350 in 2016. That gives Jellis a modern rank of #13,152.

What does the Jellis surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Ellis, itself from an old diminutive of Elias.

What does the Jellis map show?

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