2000
#124,109
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Elsemore
A geographical surname referring to someone from a place called Elsemore.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Elsemore. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Elsemore 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Elsemore in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Elsemore, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Elsemore
The surname Elsemore has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ellese" or "aeldes" meaning "old," and "mere" signifying a body of water, such as a lake or a pool. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near an old lake or pond.
The earliest known recorded instance of the name Elsemore can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Ældesmare." This entry suggests that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.
During the 13th century, various spellings of the name appeared in historical records, including "Elsmere," "Elysmore," and "Elsemere." These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and the evolving nature of the English language over time.
One notable figure bearing the Elsemore surname was Sir John Elsemore (1480-1549), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. He was known for his involvement in the Dissolution of the Monasteries and his acquisition of monastic lands in Oxfordshire.
In the 17th century, a branch of the Elsemore family settled in the American colonies. William Elsemore (1620-1685) was among the early settlers in Massachusetts Bay Colony, where he worked as a blacksmith and played a role in the establishment of the town of Haverhill.
Another significant figure was Sir Thomas Elsemore (1765-1837), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He was recognized for his bravery and leadership, earning various military honors and rising to the rank of Admiral.
In the literary realm, Elizabeth Elsemore (1823-1898) was a prominent English novelist and poet. Her works, which often explored themes of love and social commentary, were widely acclaimed during the Victorian era.
The Elsemore surname has also been associated with notable academics and scientists. One such figure was Dr. Henry Elsemore (1887-1962), a renowned physicist who made significant contributions to the field of quantum mechanics and was a professor at the University of Cambridge.
While the Elsemore name may have originated from a specific geographic location in England, it has since spread and been adopted by families across various regions and countries over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Elsemore
Among Census respondents with the surname Elsemore, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Elsemore 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 Elsemore surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.4% · 107
- Asian and Pacific Islander5.0% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 4
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Elsemore
Elsemore 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
#122,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 141
+13 bearers (+10.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 1,795 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-20 bearers (-14.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,995 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,109 | 128 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #122,314 | 141 | 0.05 | +13 bearers (+10.2%) | Up 1,795 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | -20 bearers (-14.2%) | Down 18,995 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 Elsemore 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 | #122,314 | #141,309 | -15.5% |
| Count | 141 | 121 | -14.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -19.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Elsemore bearers went from 141 to 121 (-14.2% change). The surname moved down 18,995 positions in the national ranking, going from #122,314 to #141,309.
FAQ
Elsemore surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Elsemore?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Elsemore. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Elsemore?
Elsemore ranks #141,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 121 people with the surname Elsemore. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Elsemore.
Has Elsemore become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Elsemore went from 141 recorded bearers to 121. That is a decrease of 20 (-14.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #122,314 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Elsemore?
Among Census respondents with the surname Elsemore, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%) and Hispanic (3.3%). 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 Elsemore in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.4% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Elsemore appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%), Hispanic (3.3%). 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 Elsemore (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 Elsemore mean?
A geographical surname referring to someone from a place called Elsemore. 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 Elsemore (0.04 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 people have the surname Elsemore?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.