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

Elisha, 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 Elisha surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elisha in America

Elisha is the 61297th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elisha surname appeared 328 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Elisha.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elisha 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 Elisha

The surname "ELISHA" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Hebrew given name Elisha, which means "God is salvation" or "God is deliverance." The name can be traced back to the biblical prophet Elisha, who was a disciple of the prophet Elijah and lived during the 9th century BCE.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Elisha can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various forms, such as Elissant, Elisant, and Elysaunt, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Elisha was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in East Anglia. It is believed that the name may have been introduced to the region by Norman settlers who arrived after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

Prominent individuals with the surname Elisha include Sir John Elisha (1615-1689), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth in the 17th century. Another notable figure was Thomas Elisha (1680-1734), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

In the 18th century, the surname Elisha gained prominence in the United States, where it was carried by early settlers from England. One such individual was Captain Elisha Brewster (1693-1775), an American military officer who fought in King Philip's War and the French and Indian War.

The 19th century saw the rise of William Elisha (1813-1889), a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of the steam engine and other mechanical devices. He was awarded several patents for his innovations.

Another notable figure was Mary Elisha (1845-1923), an American author and educator who wrote extensively on women's rights and education. She was a prominent activist and advocate for equal rights during her lifetime.

Throughout its history, the surname Elisha has been spelled in various ways, including Elisha, Elysha, Ellisha, and Ellysha, reflecting regional variations and changes in spelling conventions over time. While the name has its roots in the Hebrew language, it has become an integral part of the English and American cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elisha

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

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 Elisha 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 Elisha 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 Elisha was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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