Elsworth last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Elsworth

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "ridge frequented by elves."

Elsworth, 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 Elsworth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elsworth in America

Elsworth is the 39486th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elsworth surname appeared 557 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 Elsworth.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elsworth 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 39486 35487 10.67%
Count 557 600 -7.43%
Proportion per 100k 0.19 0.22 -14.63%

The history of the last name Elsworth

The surname Elsworth originates from England, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from a combination of Old English words, "ell" meaning "elder tree" and "worth" signifying an enclosed settlement or farm. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who resided near an elder tree grove or a farm where elder trees were prevalent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Elsworth can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared as "Ailricuswrthe," referring to a place in Cambridgeshire, which later evolved into the modern spelling of Elsworth.

The Elsworth family likely originated from the village of the same name in Cambridgeshire, where they may have held lands or properties. As time passed, various spellings emerged, such as Aylsworth, Ellesworth, and Elleswurth, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations.

One notable bearer of the Elsworth name was Sir John Elsworth (1470-1537), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of London during the reign of Henry VIII. He served as the Lord Mayor of London from 1533 to 1534 and was known for his philanthropic endeavors.

Another prominent figure was Edward Elsworth (1557-1618), an English composer and organist who served at the Chapel Royal during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. His compositions, including anthems and liturgical works, were highly regarded in his time.

In the 17th century, Thomas Elsworth (1620-1688) was a Puritan minister and author who emigrated to New England and became one of the founders of the town of Windsor, Connecticut. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Congregational Church in the colony.

Moving forward, Robert Elsworth (1785-1863) was a British Army officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and later served as the Lieutenant Governor of the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. His military exploits and leadership earned him recognition and honors.

Lastly, Katharine Elsworth (1846-1923) was a notable English artist and illustrator who specialized in watercolor paintings and book illustrations. She gained recognition for her contributions to children's literature and her depictions of rural landscapes and pastoral scenes.

These examples showcase the diverse individuals who have carried the surname Elsworth throughout history, highlighting its English roots and the various fields in which members of this family have made their mark.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elsworth

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

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 Elsworth was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 93.18% 519
Non-Hispanic Black Only 1.80% 10
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 3.41% 19

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 Elsworth has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 93.18% 93.17% 0.01%
Black 1.80% 4.17% -79.40%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 3.41% 1.67% 68.50%

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Elsworth last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/elsworth-surname-popularity/.

"Elsworth last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/elsworth-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Elsworth last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/elsworth-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.