Find out how popular the last name Elgin is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Elgin.

Elgin, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Elgin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elgin in America

Elgin is the 10555th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elgin surname appeared 3,036 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Elgin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elgin to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Elgin

The surname Elgin originated in Scotland and traces its roots back to the 12th century. It is derived from the town of Elgin, the former ecclesiastical capital of Moray, located in the northeast of Scotland. The town's name itself comes from the Pictish word "ελλεν," meaning "by the river."

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Elgin can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, dating back to 1264, where an individual named Gilbertus de Elgyn is mentioned. These rolls were financial records maintained by the Scottish Crown and provide valuable insights into the names and occupations of people living during that time.

The name Elgin has a strong historical connection to the Elgin Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Ghost. This magnificent cathedral, founded in the 13th century, was one of the most remarkable examples of Gothic architecture in Scotland. Its construction and subsequent restoration efforts were closely tied to the Elgin family and their descendants.

In the 14th century, Robert Elgin (1310-1367) was a prominent Scottish cleric who served as the Bishop of Moray from 1350 until his death. He played a significant role in the reconstruction of the Elgin Cathedral after it suffered extensive damage during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Elgin was Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin (1766-1841), a Scottish nobleman and diplomat. He is best known for his controversial acquisition of the Elgin Marbles, a collection of ancient Greek sculptures, which he brought to Britain from the Parthenon in Athens. This collection is now housed in the British Museum and has been a subject of ongoing debate regarding its rightful ownership.

Sir Ralph Abercromby Elgin (1857-1920), a British colonial administrator and diplomat, served as the Governor-General of India from 1894 to 1899. His tenure was marked by significant administrative reforms and efforts to promote education and infrastructure development in the country.

The surname Elgin has also been associated with various place names, such as Elgin County in Ontario, Canada, and Elgin, Illinois, in the United States. These locations were likely named after the Scottish town or in honor of individuals bearing the Elgin surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elgin

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Elgin.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Elgin was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Elgin has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Elgin was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Elgin, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!