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

Elmer, 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 Elmer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elmer in America

Elmer is the 5671st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elmer surname appeared 6,119 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Elmer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elmer 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 Elmer

The surname ELMER has its origins in England, with records dating back to the late 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "aelm," which means "elm tree," suggesting that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked with elm trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions an individual named Ælmær, a landowner in Bedfordshire.

During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various spellings, including Elmer, Elmere, and Aylmere. These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

In the 13th century, records show an individual named William Elmer as a landowner in Suffolk. This suggests that the name had become more established and associated with specific families by this point.

Notable individuals with the surname ELMER throughout history include:

1. Jonathan Elmer (1745-1817), a physician and politician who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and as a member of the New Jersey Legislative Council.

2. Ebenezer Elmer (1752-1843), an American lawyer and statesman who served as the Attorney General of New Jersey and as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

3. Alfred Elmer (1870-1942), an American chemist and academic who made significant contributions to the field of organic chemistry and served as the president of Stanford University from 1917 to 1923.

4. Herbert Charles Elmer (1886-1944), a British artist and illustrator known for his paintings of rural landscapes and his illustrations for books and magazines.

5. Veronica Elmer (1916-2003), an American actress and model who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout the mid-20th century.

The surname ELMER has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Elmer's End in Kent, Elmer's Green in Buckinghamshire, and Elmer Sands in West Sussex. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the surname ELMER who had connections to or resided in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elmer

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

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

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

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