Find out how popular the last name Elphick is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Elphick.
An English surname derived from a Middle English nickname for an elf or trickster.
Elphick, 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 Elphick surname is from the 2010 census data.
Elphick is the 75069th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Elphick surname appeared 257 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 Elphick.
We can also compare 2010 data for Elphick 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.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 75069 | 77222 | -2.83% |
Count | 257 | 231 | 10.66% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.09 | 0.09 | 0.00% |
The surname Elphick is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the county of Sussex, particularly in the areas around the town of Horsham.
One of the earliest known references to the name Elphick can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where a John Elphik is listed. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 13th century.
The name Elphick is thought to be derived from the Old English words "ælf" and "wic," which together translate to "elf dwelling" or "elf village." This could indicate that the name initially referred to a place where elves or otherworldly beings were believed to reside.
A notable early bearer of the surname Elphick was William Elphick, a wealthy landowner who lived in the village of Shipley, near Horsham, in the late 15th century. Records from 1487 show that he was involved in legal disputes over property boundaries.
By the 16th century, variations of the spelling, such as Elphicke and Elficke, began to appear in historical documents. In 1538, a Thomas Elphicke was recorded as a witness in a court case in Lewes, East Sussex.
One of the earliest known ancestors with the surname Elphick was John Elphick, born around 1580 in Horsham, Sussex. He was a farmer and landowner, and his descendants continued to live in the Horsham area for generations.
Another notable figure with the Elphick surname was Richard Elphick, born in 1745 in East Sussex. He was a renowned clockmaker and watchmaker, and his intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the local gentry.
In the 19th century, the name Elphick spread beyond Sussex as families migrated to other parts of England and even abroad. One such individual was James Elphick, born in 1823 in Horsham, who later became a successful merchant in Australia after emigrating there in the 1850s.
Throughout history, the Elphick surname has been associated with various occupations, including farming, clockmaking, and merchanting, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore this unique name.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Elphick.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Elphick was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 93.00% | 239 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 2.72% | 7 |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 2.33% | 6 |
Hispanic Origin | 1.95% | 5 |
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 Elphick has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 93.00% | 91.34% | 1.80% |
Black | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | 2.72% | (S)% | (S)% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Two or More Races | 2.33% | (S)% | (S)% |
Hispanic | 1.95% | 5.19% | -90.76% |
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 Elphick was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Elphick, please contact us.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/elphick-surname-popularity/">Elphick last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Elphick last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 28, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/elphick-surname-popularity/.
"Elphick last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/elphick-surname-popularity/. Accessed 28 May, 2025
Elphick last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/elphick-surname-popularity/.
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