Elway
An English place name referring to a pathway for livestock near a river or stream.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 171 Americans carry the last name Elway. That puts it at #127,494 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,004,411 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Elway surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
171
1 in 2,004,411
Census rank
#127,494
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
134
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 134 bearers of the surname Elway in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 127494th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Elway, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Elway
The surname ELWAY is believed to have originated in England. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "el" meaning eel and "weg" meaning way, suggesting the name referred to someone who lived near a stream or body of water where eels were found.
Records show that the name was present in the county of Northamptonshire and nearby areas as early as the 13th century. Some of the earliest known spellings include Ellewei, Elwey, and Eluweye. The name does not appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, suggesting it emerged later during the Middle Ages.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was John Elway, who was mentioned in court rolls from Cambridgeshire in 1273. Another early bearer was William Elway, recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1327.
The name may be related to the place name Elway in Bedfordshire, which was recorded as Ellewey in the 13th century. This could suggest the surname originated as a habitational name for someone who hailed from that location.
Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname ELWAY include:
1. John Elway (1460-1522), an English lawyer and judge who served as a Justice of the Common Pleas.
2. Richard Elway (1570-1644), an English clergyman who was a rector in Lincolnshire.
3. Samuel Elway (1677-1745), a British merchant and philanthropist from Gloucestershire.
4. John Elway (1719-1789), an English landowner and magistrate from Northamptonshire.
5. John Elway (born 1960), an American professional football player and executive, considered one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the National Football League.
While the surname ELWAY is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a long and interesting history dating back to medieval times, with its origins rooted in the English countryside and waterways.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Elway
Among Census respondents with the surname Elway, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%.
The bar chart below shows how Elway bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Elway surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Elway surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #127,494 | #127,494 | 0.0% |
| Count | 134 | 134 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Elway bearers went from 134 to 134 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #127,494 to #127,494.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Elway
FAQ
Elway surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Elway?
The surname Elway holds position #127,494 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 171 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Elway surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Elway, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.