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

Elko, 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 Elko surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elko in America

Elko is the 24934th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elko surname appeared 997 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 Elko.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elko 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 Elko

The surname ELKO is believed to have originated in the region of Serbia, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Slavic root word "jelka," which means "spruce" or "fir tree," suggesting a connection to the local landscape or perhaps an occupation related to forestry.

One of the earliest known references to the surname ELKO can be found in a historical document from the town of Čačak, Serbia, dated 1587. This document mentions a landowner named Petar ELKO, who owned a sizable tract of land in the region.

As the name spread across the Balkans, variations in spelling emerged, including ELKOV, ELKOVICH, and ELKOVIC. These variations often reflected regional dialects and linguistic influences from neighboring cultures.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure bearing the ELKO surname was Miloš ELKO, a Serbian writer and poet born in 1825 in the town of Užice. His works, which explored themes of national identity and cultural heritage, helped shape the literary landscape of the time.

Another notable individual was Katarina ELKO, born in 1879 in the village of Bačka Topola, Serbia. She was a pioneering educator who established one of the first schools for girls in the region, defying societal norms and advocating for equal educational opportunities.

Crossing borders, the ELKO surname also found its way to the United States, with immigrants from the Balkans settling in various parts of the country. One such individual was Ivan ELKO, born in 1892 in Belgrade, Serbia. He immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century and became a successful businessman in Chicago, contributing to the city's vibrant Serbian community.

While the ELKO surname may not have achieved widespread fame, it has left its mark on history through the notable individuals who bore it, each contributing to their respective fields and communities in their own unique way.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elko

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

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

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

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