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

Elk, 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 Elk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elk in America

Elk is the 39659th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elk surname appeared 554 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 Elk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elk 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 Elk

The surname Elk originated in England, emerging in the early medieval period around the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from Old English words such as "ellc" or "elc," meaning "elk" or "great deer." These words likely referred to someone who lived near a forest or location where elk roamed, or perhaps someone who had a distinctive physical characteristic reminiscent of an elk.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Elk can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions an individual named Aelfric Elk, who held land in Oxfordshire.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Elk, Elke, and Elcke. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners and tenants, there is an entry for a William Elk from Lincolnshire. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 also mention a John Elke from Yorkshire.

In the 15th century, the Elk surname was associated with several notable individuals. One example is John Elk, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Norwich, who lived from around 1420 to 1490. Another is William Elk, a clergyman and scholar who served as the rector of St. Peter's Church in Norwich from 1472 until his death in 1499.

Moving into the 16th century, the Elk surname continued to appear in various records. One notable figure was Robert Elk, an English playwright and poet who lived from around 1520 to 1590. His works included plays and poetic works dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name Elk was associated with several prominent figures in the English Civil War. One example is Sir Edward Elk, a Royalist commander who fought for King Charles I and was knighted for his service in 1642. Another is Captain Thomas Elk, a Parliamentary officer who served under Oliver Cromwell and participated in several key battles, including the Battle of Marston Moor in 1644.

As the Elk surname spread throughout the British Isles and beyond, it also took on various spelling variations, such as Elke, Elkey, and Elkey. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of individual families.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elk

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

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

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

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