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

Elliff, 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 Elliff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elliff in America

Elliff is the 47186th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elliff surname appeared 450 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 Elliff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elliff 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 Elliff

The surname ELLIFF is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "ælf" which means "elf" or "supernatural being." It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century as a descriptive surname, likely given to someone with an unusual or otherworldly appearance or personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ELLIFF can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named Ailric Ellif is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time and may have evolved from earlier variations.

During the Middle Ages, the name ELLIFF was primarily concentrated in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in northern England. It is possible that the name was associated with specific locations or villages in these regions, although concrete evidence of such place names has not been well-documented.

Notable individuals with the surname ELLIFF throughout history include Sir John Elliff (c. 1500-1572), who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1556. Another prominent figure was William Elliff (1624-1703), a Puritan minister and author who played a significant role in the development of Non-conformist thought in England.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Elliff family migrated to the American colonies, with records showing an Edward Elliff settling in Virginia in 1635. Later on, Samuel Elliff (1760-1844), a British military officer, served in the American Revolutionary War and was captured by American forces during the siege of Yorktown in 1781.

Moving into the 19th century, a notable bearer of the name was John Elliff (1810-1873), a Methodist minister and author who published several theological works. Additionally, Samuel Elliff (1827-1901) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from Nottinghamshire, England, who made significant contributions to various charitable causes.

While the surname ELLIFF is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich history that can be traced back to its Old English roots and its early presence in northern England. Over the centuries, individuals with this surname have left their mark in various fields, from politics and religion to business and military service.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elliff

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

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

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

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