ELKINGTON
Elkington is an English habitational surname that derives from a place name in the British Isles. The name is recorded as arising in England, and its bearers are traditionally associated with the Christian faith, reflecting the maritime heritage of the North‑East Midlands.
Genetic analysis of the available historical documentation shows that the surname is linked primarily to a village of the same name in Lincolnshire. The compound originates from the Old‑English elements elk – meaning a deer – and tun – meaning a settlement or enclosure. Consequently the literal interpretation of Elkington is «the settlement of the elk or deer». In some interpretations the root may come from an early personal name, such as Ealhhere, and the place name might have originally denoted «Ealhhere's farm», a view supported by the suffix ing which in Anglo‑Saxon usage indicated a group of people or dwellers associated with a particular individual.
The earliest extant reference to the place appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelt Eltetone, an accommodation by a Norman clerk for the unfamiliar English orthography. Subsequent medieval records show a progression of spellings: Heltedun in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1200, followed by Eltingdon in 1283. The first documented instance of the family name is that of John de Elkington, dated 1274 in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, during the reign of Edward I.
In the early 17th century the name acquired a heraldic distinction. Thomas Elkington, then residing in London but formerly of Elkington in Northamptonshire, was granted a coat of arms by King James I in 1608. The blazon describes a red field charged with six cross‑crosslets between two flaunches, all rendered in silver. Historical church records indicate that the surname entered the registers of Lincolnshire only in 1608 with William Elkington of Heckington, and that in 1615 Marie Elkington of Northamptonshire married Henrie Brown in Lilbourne, confirming the surname’s continued presence in that county.
Today the surname remains most prevalent in the United Kingdom, with a notable concentration in the East Midlands, particularly in the counties of Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. It is also found, though in smaller quantities, in the United States, Australia, Canada and South Africa, largely among communities of British descent. The name is relatively uncommon compared with other Anglo‑Saxon surnames, affording it an element of distinctiveness.
Spelling variants have arisen through regional dialects and the phonetic rendering of names by clerks in earlier centuries. Known forms include Elkinton, Elkyngton, Elkynston, Ellington and Elington, with Kilington also occasionally cited. The variation Elkington reflects the standardised orthography that developed in post‑medieval England, and the name has remained stable in modern records.
Typical given names associated with the Elkington surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Emma
- Gillian
- Jacqueline
- Jean
- Jennifer
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Pauline
- Rachel
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Elkington in...
Braille
⠑⠇⠅⠊⠝⠛⠞⠕⠝
Morse
..-..-.-..-.--.-----.
Semaphore
There are approximately 1,741 people named Elkington in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,722nd most common surname in Britain. Around 27 in a million people in Britain are named Elkington.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Elkington
- John Elkington - Businessman
- Tim Elkington - Fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force (1920 to 2019)
- George Richards Elkington - Businessman (1801 to 1865)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.