Explore the Family Name Ellen
The meaning of Ellen
1. English: from the Middle English female personal name Elen, Elin, Helen (Old French Helene, from Latin Helena, Greek Helenē, related to helanē ‘torch’ and helē ‘brightness of the sun’). The popularity of this as a personal name is due largely to Saint Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine, who was influential as a Christian proselytizer in Byzantium. Medieval English legend asserted, almost certainly wrongly, that she was of British origin. 2. English (of Norman origin): variant of Hellen. 3. English: topographic name for someone who lived by or among elder-trees, from Middle English ellen (Old English elle(r)n). 4. Dutch and North German: patronymic from the personal name El(le), probably a shortened form of an ancient Germanic name with the element adal ‘noble’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ellen in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Ellen has seen a decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 21,176 in terms of frequency but dropped to 22,770 in 2010, marking a 7.53% decline. The number of individuals bearing this surname also slightly decreased from 1,155 in 2000 to 1,125 in 2010, showing a 2.6% reduction. Consequently, the proportion of Ellen per 100,000 people fell by 11.63%, from 0.43 to 0.38.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #21,176 | #22,770 | -7.53% |
| Count | 1,155 | 1,125 | -2.6% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.43 | 0.38 | -11.63% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ellen
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the distribution of the surname Ellen among different ethnic groups shifted from 2000 to 2010. The proportion of Ellens identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 11.54%, and those identifying with two or more races surged by an impressive 76.92%. Individuals of Hispanic origin saw an increase of 18.03%, while the proportion of American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals with the Ellen surname rose by 16.39%. However, there were slight decreases in the percentage of White and Black people carrying this surname, experiencing a fall of 1.42% and 5.35% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 78.35% | 77.24% | -1.42% |
| Black | 15.5% | 14.67% | -5.35% |
| Hispanic | 2.94% | 3.47% | 18.03% |
| Two or More Races | 1.56% | 2.76% | 76.92% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.04% | 1.16% | 11.54% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.61% | 0.71% | 16.39% |