This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Ell family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Ell Family History

Ell Surname Meaning

German: metonymic occupational name for a dealer in cloth or a tailor from Middle High German Middle Low German el(l)e ‘yardstick length of the lower arm’. German: from a short form Edilo from any of various ancient Germanic personal names composed with adal ‘noble family’.

English: from the Middle English female personal name El(le) Latinized by medieval clerks as Ela. The name was a pet form of Elen (see Ellen) and possibly also of Eleanor (see Ellender).

English: perhaps from a short form of the Middle English male personal name Elis (see Ellis).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Ell family from?

You can see how Ell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 2 Ell families living in New Jersey. This was about 33% of all the recorded Ell's in USA. New Jersey and 1 other state had the highest population of Ell families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Ell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Waitress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ell. 26% of Ell men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Ell women worked as a Waitress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ell were Truck Driver and Servant.

View Census Data for Ell | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    26%
  • Laborer
    16%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Waitress
    15%
  • Housework
    13%
  • Housewife
    11%
  • Servant
    9%

What Ell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 43,000 census records available for the last name Ell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Ell

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Ell. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 26,000 military records available for the last name Ell. For the veterans among your Ell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ell family history

Discover More

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ell family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial