2000
#3,113
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,661
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.95
Uncommon Last name
Elrod
Noble, brave, or famous counselor or elder, derived from the Old English elements "æðel" (noble) and "rǣd" (counsel).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,926 Americans carry the last name Elrod. That puts it at #3,368 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.48 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 28,740 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Elrod surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
12K
1 in 28,740
Census rank
#3,368
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,400 bearers of the surname Elrod in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.48 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3368th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Elrod, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Elrod
The surname Elrod has its origins in the English language, with roots dating back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "el" meaning "elk" and "rod" meaning "clearing" or "meadow." Thus, the name Elrod may have initially referred to someone who lived near an elk meadow or clearing.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Elrod can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Devon and Somerset in the southwest of England during this time.
In the 13th century, records show a William Elrod, born around 1230, who served as a knight under King Edward I. This suggests that the Elrod family had achieved a degree of prominence and status by this period.
During the 16th century, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Elrode, Elrodd, and Ellrod. One notable figure from this era was John Elrod, born in 1527, who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol.
The 17th century saw the migration of some Elrod families to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Thomas Elrod, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. Another notable individual was Reverend John Elrod, born in 1642, who was a prominent Puritan minister in Massachusetts.
In the 18th century, the Elrod surname continued to spread across the United States. One notable figure was Colonel Samuel Elrod, born in 1740, who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
As the centuries progressed, the Elrod surname continued to be represented in various fields and professions. Some notable individuals include:
1. James Elrod (1823-1899), a prominent lawyer and politician from Arkansas.
2. John Elrod (1876-1952), an American baseball player who played for several major league teams.
3. Rebecca Elrod (1960-present), an American academic and university administrator.
4. Philip Elrod (1935-2019), a distinguished jurist who served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
5. Michael Elrod (1969-present), an American businessman and entrepreneur in the technology industry.
The Elrod surname has a rich history that spans centuries and continents, with roots firmly planted in the early medieval period of England. Despite its widespread distribution, the name has maintained a consistent connection to its origins, reflecting the enduring legacy of those who once lived near the elk meadows of ancient Britain.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Elrod
Among Census respondents with the surname Elrod, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Elrod bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Elrod surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.0% · 9,356
- Two or more races3.8% · 396
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 280
- Black or African American2.5% · 260
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 65
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 43
Timeline
Historical Census data for Elrod
Elrod appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,305
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,851
+190 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 3.68
Rank movement Down 192 places
2020
#3,368
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,400
-451 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 3.48
Rank movement Down 63 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,113 | 10,661 | 3.95 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,305 | 10,851 | 3.68 | +190 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 192 places |
| 2020 | #3,368 | 10,400 | 3.48 | -451 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 63 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Elrod surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,305 | #3,368 | -1.9% |
| Count | 10,851 | 10,400 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 3.68 | 3.48 | -5.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Elrod bearers went from 10,851 to 10,400 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 63 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,305 to #3,368.
FAQ
Elrod surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Elrod?
Name Census estimates that about 11,926 living Americans carry the surname Elrod. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 28,740 residents.
How common is Elrod?
Elrod ranks #3,368 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.48 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,400 people with the surname Elrod. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,926), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.48 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.48 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Elrod.
Has Elrod become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Elrod went from 10,851 recorded bearers to 10,400. That is a decrease of 451 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,305 to #3,368.
What does the Census say about the background of Elrod?
Among Census respondents with the surname Elrod, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Elrod in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.0% (9,356 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Elrod appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.0%), Two or More Races (3.8%), Hispanic (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Elrod (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Elrod mean?
Noble, brave, or famous counselor or elder, derived from the Old English elements "æðel" (noble) and "rǣd" (counsel). The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Elrod (3.48 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Elrod?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.