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

Elson, 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 Elson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elson in America

Elson is the 10306th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elson surname appeared 3,126 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Elson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elson 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 Elson

The surname ELSON is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English personal name "Æl," meaning "source" or "spring," combined with the patronymic suffix "-son," indicating "son of."

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, dated 1195, where one Richard Elson is mentioned. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273 reference a William Elson, suggesting the name's presence in the region during that era.

Historically, the ELSON name has been associated with various localities across England, particularly in the counties of Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, and Norfolk. Some of the earliest known references to place names related to the surname include Elston, a village in Nottinghamshire, and Elsenham, a parish in Essex.

One notable bearer of the ELSON name was Sir Arthur Elson (1577-1651), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who represented the borough of Grantham in the early 17th century. Another significant figure was John Elson (1644-1728), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, from 1701 until his death.

In the realm of literature, John Elson (1816-1855) was a British poet and author known for his works such as "The Minstrel's Curse" and "The Poetical Works of John Elson." Additionally, Arthur Vaughan Elson (1872-1957) was an American author and educator who wrote extensively on various subjects, including music, literature, and history.

Another prominent individual bearing the ELSON name was Sir Arthur Elson (1871-1962), a British civil engineer and public servant who played a crucial role in the construction of the London Underground railway system in the early 20th century.

While the ELSON surname may have evolved over time and taken on various spellings, such as Ellson, Elston, or Elliston, its origins can be traced back to the Old English personal name "Æl" and the patronymic tradition of identifying individuals as the "son of" their fathers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elson

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

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

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

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