Show ContentsElse History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The earliest origins of the name Else date back to the time of the Anglo-Saxons. The name is derived from the baptismal name for the son of Ellis. which "has for the most part been formed from the scripture name Elias, which does not occur as an Anglo-Saxon name, but which was in use in France as early as the days of Charlemagne, as a baptismal designation, and after wards gave to several families." [1]

Early Origins of the Else family

The surname Else was first found in Yorkshire where the first record of the name was "William Alis, mentioned in the Domesday Book as the progenitor of the Ellises of Kiddal, county York, and Stoneacre, county Kent, from whom sprang Sir Archibald Ellys, a crusader who is said to have originated the cross and crescents so common to the Ellis coat-armour." [1]

Continuing the search through early records, we found Willelmus filius Helis listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of Somerset in 1212, William Elyas in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1200, William Elis in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1202 and Andrew Elice in the Subsidy Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1309. [2]

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had numerous entries including: Henry filius Elis in Cambridgeshire; Agnes uxor Elys in Cambridgeshire; Simon filius Elys in Bedfordshire; Nicholas filius Elye in Cambridgeshire and Roger filius Elye in Shropshire. [3]

Early History of the Else family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Else research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1282, 1460, 1474, 1550, 1561, 1581, 1598, 1609, 1615, 1616, 1625, 1634, 1640, 1650, 1651, 1653, 1654, 1660, 1665, 1673, 1676, 1680, 1688, 1690, 1693, 1700, 1701, 1703, 1716, 1721, 1731, 1734, 1742, 1757, 1761, 1774, 1806, 1820, 1826, 1832, 1861, 1890 and 1939 are included under the topic Early Else History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Else Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Else include Ellis, Elliss, Ellys, Elis, Eliss, Elliason and many more.

Early Notables of the Else family

Distinguished members of the family include Thomas Ellis, Mayor of Norwich from 1460 to 1474; Sir Francis Ellis, an administrator of the English East India Company, and President of Bengal in 1693; John Ellis (1598-1665), a Welsh Anglican clergyman and religious writer, born at Gwylan, Maentwrog, Merionethshire; Humphrey Ellis, D.D. (d. 1676), English Catholic divine; Sir William Ellis (1609-1680), an English lawyer, judge...
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Else Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Else family to Ireland

Some of the Else family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 172 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Else migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Else or a variant listed above:

Else Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Roger Else, who arrived in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1668 [4]
Else Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Else, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 [4]
  • Tho Else, who landed in Virginia in 1704 [4]
  • Johan Else, who was bound out as an apprentice or servant in Pennsylvania in 1771

Contemporary Notables of the name Else (post 1700) +

  • Fredrick "Fred" Else (1933-2015), English footballer, member of the 1957 England national team
  • Else Ackermann (1933-2019), German physician, pharmacologist and politician from Berlin
  • Else Hackenberg (b. 1959), German actress, known for Die gute Sieben and Mein Sohn, der Herr Minister (1958)
  • Else Reinwald (b. 1917), German actress, known for Hvor Sorgerne glemmes
  • Else "Els" Borst -Eilers (1922-2014), Dutch politician, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, Deputy Prime Minister
  • Else Herold, German pianist and piano teacher and professor at the Musikhochschule Stuttgart
  • Else Frenkel-Brunswik (1908-1958), Polish-Austrian psychologist
  • Else Feldmann (1884-1942), Austrian writer and journalist
  • Else Schuchardt (1878-1958), Bavarian painter


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook