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

Elliot, 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 Elliot surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elliot in America

Elliot is the 4160th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elliot surname appeared 8,518 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Elliot.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elliot 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 Elliot

The surname Elliot has its origins in Scotland, emerging in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "El" meaning "bravery" and "lot" which translates to "one who is brave". The name is believed to have originated in the Borders region, particularly in areas such as Roxburghshire and Dumfriesshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Here, the name is spelled as "Eliot". In the 14th century, the spelling evolved to "Elyot" and "Elyet" before settling into the modern form of "Elliot".

The name is closely associated with the town of Elliot in Angus, Scotland, which was once known as "Elyot" or "Elyott". This place name is believed to have been derived from the surname itself, suggesting that the Elliot family may have held lands or influence in this area.

One of the earliest recorded Elliots is Sir John Elliot, a Scottish nobleman who lived in the late 13th century and held lands in Roxburghshire. Another notable figure is Gilbert Elliot, who was born in 1651 and served as the Lord Clerk Register of Scotland in the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Elliot family gained prominence with the rise of Sir Gilbert Elliot, 3rd Baronet of Minto, who was born in 1722 and served as the Governor-General of the Province of Toulon in France. His son, Gilbert Elliot, 1st Earl of Minto, was born in 1751 and had a distinguished career as a diplomat and politician.

The 19th century saw the emergence of George Augustus Elliot, 1st Baron Heathfield, who was born in 1718 and is best known for his successful defense of Gibraltar during the Great Siege of Gibraltar from 1779 to 1783.

Throughout its history, the Elliot surname has been associated with several notable families and individuals, reflecting its Scottish heritage and the bravery and resilience often attributed to those who bear this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elliot

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

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

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

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