Ellis
An English and Welsh surname derived from the given name Elijah, meaning "my God is Yahweh."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 219,568 Americans carry the last name Ellis. That puts it at #131 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 64.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,561 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ellis surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
220K
1 in 1,561
Census rank
#131
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
64.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
189K
common in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 188,968 bearers of the surname Ellis in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 64.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 131st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ellis, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.4%. The next largest groups are Black (23.5%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ellis
The surname Ellis has its origins in the ancient Welsh language. It is derived from the personal name Elisse, which is itself a pet form of the name Elisedd. This name can be traced back to the 5th century and is believed to have meant "benevolent" or "kind-hearted".
Ellis is a patronymic surname, meaning it was originally formed by adding a prefix or suffix to the personal name to indicate "son of". In the case of Ellis, the suffix "is" was added to Elisse, creating the surname meaning "son of Elisse". This naming convention was common in Wales and other parts of Britain during the Middle Ages.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Ellis dates back to the late 12th century in the Welsh county of Glamorgan. In the Pipe Rolls of 1199, there is a reference to a man named Rees Ellis, who held lands in the village of Llantrisant.
As the Ellis family spread throughout Wales and England over the centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, including Ellys, Elles, and Elys. The name was also associated with certain place names, such as Ellesmere in Shropshire, which was originally recorded as Elles Mere in the Domesday Book of 1086.
Notable individuals bearing the surname Ellis include:
1. Thomas Ellis (c. 1390-1466), a Welsh politician and Speaker of the House of Commons during the reign of Henry VI.
2. Humphrey Ellis (c. 1659-1741), a Welsh clergyman and author who wrote extensively on the history and antiquities of Wales.
3. Wynn Ellis (1790-1875), a Welsh poet and writer who was a prominent figure in the Welsh literary renaissance of the 19th century.
4. George Ellis (1753-1815), an English writer and editor who co-founded the influential literary journal The Anti-Jacobin.
5. Sarah Stickney Ellis (1799-1872), an English author and advocate for women's education and social reform.
Over time, the Ellis surname spread throughout the English-speaking world, carried by Welsh and English emigrants to various parts of Britain and its colonies. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Wales, the name Ellis has become a familiar and widespread surname across many countries and cultures.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ellis
Among Census respondents with the surname Ellis, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.4%. The next largest groups are Black (23.5%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Ellis bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Ellis surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White70.4%
- Black or African American23.5%
- Hispanic or Latino2.7%
- Two or more races2.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Ellis surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #131 | #131 | 0.0% |
| Count | 188,968 | 188,968 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 64.06 | 64.06 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Ellis bearers went from 188,968 to 188,968 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #131 to #131.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Ellis
FAQ
Ellis surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Ellis?
The surname Ellis holds position #131 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 219,568 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 64.06 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Ellis surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ellis, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.4%. The next largest groups are Black (23.5%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.