ELMORE
Elmore is a surname of English origin that appears in recorded history from the late twelfth century. The name is a locational surname derived from a village in the royal county of Gloucestershire, one of the historic counties of England.
The village of Elmore is first documented in the Pipe Rolls for Gloucestershire in 1176 under the spelling Elmour, and subsequently appears as Elmoure in the Charter Rolls of 1227. The place name itself is believed to derive from the Old English elements elm, meaning the elm tree, and ofer, meaning a river bank, thus describing a bank where elms grew.
From the village name the surname Elmore developed. Early church records in Gloucestershire record the marriage of Katherin Elmer and Thomas Goslinge on 19 August 1577 in Charlton Kings, and the wedding of William Elmore and Alicia Collins on 27 October 1589 in Minchinhampton. The surname appears in later life‑event records such as the christening of Lawes Elmer on 22 March 1625 in Bitton and Robert Elmore on 15 December 1779 in Quinton.
The earliest known instance of the family name outside Gloucestershire is the record of Henry Ailmer in 1208 in the Curia Rolls of Berkshire. This occurred during the reign of King John of England, who reigned from 1199 to 1216.
The name Elmore has also been interpreted linguistically in a few different ways. It may derive from the Old English personal name Æthelmær, itself composed of the elements æthel, meaning noble, and mær, meaning famous or renowned, giving the sense “noble and famous.” Alternatively, it could have arisen from the Old English words æl, meaning elder, and mor, meaning marsh or fen, which would translate as “elder of the marsh.”
Thus, the surname Elmore presents an example of both locational naming and the use of descriptive elements in early English surnames. It has a firmly established historical presence in England and is primarily linked to the Gloucestershire region, though it has spread to other parts of the country over the centuries.
Typical given names associated with the Elmore surname
Male
- Christopher
- Daniel
- David
- John
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Simon
- Stephen
Female
- Claire
- Heather
- Helen
- Jaana
- Jacqueline
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Nicola
- Sarah
- Stephanie
- Susan
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 Elmore in...
Braille
⠑⠇⠍⠕⠗⠑
Morse
..-..-----.-..
Semaphore
There are approximately 1,254 people named Elmore in the UK. That makes it roughly the 6,191st most common surname in Britain. Around 19 in a million people in Britain are named Elmore.
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 Elmore
- Chris Elmore - Welsh politician and MP
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.