2000
#11,851
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,420
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.90
Rare Last name
Ellerbe
Derived from a place name meaning "elder tree by the stream" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,809 Americans carry the last name Ellerbe. That puts it at #12,147 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.82 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 122,020 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ellerbe surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.8K
1 in 122,020
Census rank
#12,147
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,450 bearers of the surname Ellerbe in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.82 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12147th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ellerbe, the largest self-reported group is Black at 67.5%. The next largest groups are White (24.1%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ellerbe
The surname Ellerbe originated in England, with its roots dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "ælre" and "burh," which together mean "elder tree fort" or "elder tree fortified place." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place where elder trees grew in abundance near a fortified settlement or defensive structure.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Ellerbe surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population conducted during the reign of William the Conqueror. The name was likely associated with a specific location or landholding at the time.
The surname Ellerbe has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Ellerby, Ellerbie, and Ellerbee. These variations reflect regional dialects and the evolving nature of language and spelling conventions.
In the 14th century, records show a John de Ellerby serving as a monk at the Cistercian Abbey of Fountains in Yorkshire, England. Another notable figure was Sir Robert Ellerby, a knight from Yorkshire who lived during the 15th century and was involved in military campaigns against Scotland.
During the 16th century, the surname Ellerbe appeared in several historical documents, including parish records and legal proceedings. One notable individual from this period was William Ellerby, a merchant from Yorkshire who was involved in the wool trade and held significant landholdings.
In the 17th century, the surname Ellerbe gained further prominence, with several individuals making their mark in various fields. One such person was John Ellerby, a renowned English scholar and author who wrote extensively on subjects such as history, philosophy, and theology.
As the centuries progressed, the Ellerbe surname spread across different regions of England and beyond. In the 18th century, records show a Thomas Ellerby who served as a captain in the British Royal Navy and participated in numerous naval battles.
In the 19th century, the Ellerbe surname continued to be represented in various fields, including academia, literature, and the arts. One notable figure was Arthur Ellerby, a respected English writer and poet who published several collections of poems and literary works.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ellerbe
Among Census respondents with the surname Ellerbe, the largest self-reported group is Black at 67.5%. The next largest groups are White (24.1%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Ellerbe bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ellerbe surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American67.5% · 1,654
- White24.1% · 591
- Two or more races4.8% · 117
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 70
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ellerbe
Ellerbe appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#12,174
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,560
+140 bearers (+5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.87
Rank movement Down 323 places
2020
#12,147
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,450
-110 bearers (-4.3%)
Per 100,000 0.82
Rank movement Up 27 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,851 | 2,420 | 0.90 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,174 | 2,560 | 0.87 | +140 bearers (+5.8%) | Down 323 places |
| 2020 | #12,147 | 2,450 | 0.82 | -110 bearers (-4.3%) | Up 27 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ellerbe surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,174 | #12,147 | 0.2% |
| Count | 2,560 | 2,450 | -4.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.87 | 0.82 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ellerbe bearers went from 2,560 to 2,450 (-4.3% change). The surname moved up 27 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,174 to #12,147.
FAQ
Ellerbe surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ellerbe?
Name Census estimates that about 2,809 living Americans carry the surname Ellerbe. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 122,020 residents.
How common is Ellerbe?
Ellerbe ranks #12,147 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.82 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,450 people with the surname Ellerbe. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,809), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.82 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.82 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Ellerbe.
Has Ellerbe become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ellerbe went from 2,560 recorded bearers to 2,450. That is a decrease of 110 (-4.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,174 to #12,147.
What does the Census say about the background of Ellerbe?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ellerbe, the largest self-reported group is Black at 67.5%. The next largest groups are White (24.1%) and Two or More Races (4.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ellerbe in the 2020 Census, accounting for 67.5% (1,654 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ellerbe appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (67.5%), White (24.1%), Two or More Races (4.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ellerbe (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ellerbe mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "elder tree by the stream" in Old English. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ellerbe (0.82 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Ellerbe?
Find out how common the surname Ellerbe is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.