Explore the Family Name Elmo

The meaning of Elmo

Italian: from the personal name Elmo, which can be a vernacular altered form of Erasmo, Latin Erasmus (compare Eramo), or an ancient Germanic name derived from helm ‘helmet, protection’. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Angelo, Loredana, Sal, Salvatore.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Elmo in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Elmo has seen a decline in its popularity over the past decade. In 2000, Elmo was the 51,352nd most popular surname with a count of 381 people carrying it. However, by 2010, its rank had dropped to 60,347 and the number of individuals with this last name had decreased to 334. This represents a decline of 17.52% in its ranking and a decrease of 12.34% in the overall count. The proportion of people named Elmo per 100,000 also witnessed a reduction from 0.14 to 0.11, indicating a 21.43% drop.

20002010Change
Rank#51,352#60,347-17.52%
Count381334-12.34%
Proportion per 100k0.140.11-21.43%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Elmo

In terms of ethnicity, the census data reveals a shift in the ethnic identity associated with the Elmo surname. As per the Decennial U.S. Census, the percentage of white individuals with the Elmo surname marginally reduced from 79% in 2000 to 77.25% in 2010. The black population with this surname also saw a decrease of 11.29%, moving from 14.17% to 12.57%. On the other hand, those identifying as Hispanic and those claiming two or more races showed an increase in their proportions. The Hispanic representation went up from 3.41% to 4.79%, a growth of 40.47%, while those identifying as two or more races rose from 2.36% to 4.19%, a significant 77.54% elevation. No changes were observed for the Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories.

20002010Change
White79%77.25%-2.22%
Black14.17%12.57%-11.29%
Hispanic3.41%4.79%40.47%
Two or More Races2.36%4.19%77.54%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%