Ellsworth
From an Old English name meaning "protector of the elder tree".
Name Census estimates that about 1,359 living Americans carry the first name Ellsworth. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ellsworth today is around 73 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ellsworth births was 1918 (300 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ellsworth. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Ellsworth is about 73 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ellsworths were born before 1963.
People living today
1.4K
~ 1 in 252,211 Americans
Peak year
1918
300 babies that year
Average age
73
years old
2020 SSA rank
#7,155
Tracked since 1880
Popularity
Ellsworth: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ellsworth from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 2,115 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ellsworth by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ellsworth during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ellsworths live
The SSA's state-level files cover 33 states and territories. Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio recorded the most babies named Ellsworth, while Vermont, Utah, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 125 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ellsworth
The name Ellsworth is an English given name derived from a combination of the Old English elements "ell" meaning "old" and "worth" meaning "enclosure" or "farm." It originates from the Anglo-Saxon era in England, likely referring to someone who lived on an old farm or in an old enclosure.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ellsworth dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as a surname. This suggests that the name was already in use as a given name during the late Anglo-Saxon period or shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the first name Ellsworth. One of the earliest was Ellsworth Stratton (1853-1928), an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from California in the late 19th century.
Ellsworth Huntington (1876-1947) was an American geographer and anthropologist known for his work on the influence of climate on civilizations. He conducted extensive research in Central Asia and published several influential books on the subject.
Ellsworth P. Killip (1890-1968) was an American botanist and taxonomist who made significant contributions to the study of tropical plants, particularly those in South America. He worked at the Smithsonian Institution and published numerous scientific papers on plant taxonomy.
Ellsworth Kelly (1923-2015) was an American painter and sculptor known for his minimalist style and use of bold colors and geometric shapes. His works are included in numerous prestigious art collections around the world, and he is considered one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Ellsworth Bunker (1894-1984) was an American diplomat and businessman who served as the United States Ambassador to several countries, including Vietnam during the Vietnam War. He played a crucial role in diplomatic efforts during this conflict and was widely respected for his negotiation skills.
While the name Ellsworth has its roots in Old English, it has maintained a presence throughout history and has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, including politics, science, art, and diplomacy.
People
Ellsworth + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ellsworth as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ellsworth: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ellsworth?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,359 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ellsworth going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 252,211 US residents.
Is Ellsworth a common name?
We classify Ellsworth as "Rare". It ranks above 91.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 7,332 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ellsworth most popular?
The single biggest year for Ellsworth was 1918, when 300 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ellsworth is about 73 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ellsworth a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ellsworth in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.