Show ContentsElias History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Elias family

The surname Elias was first found in Oldenburg in Lower Saxony where the name Elizer was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

Early History of the Elias family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Elias research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Elias History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Elias Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Elizer, Eliser, Elis, Elias, Eliz, Elisser, Elizzer, Eliszer, Elizers and many more.

Early Notables of the Elias family

More information is included under the topic Early Elias Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Elias Ranking

In the United States, the name Elias is the 2,074th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Elias is ranked the 4,801st most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 2


United States Elias migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Elias Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Strause Elias, who arrived in Virginia in 1679 3
Elias Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Elias, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1752
  • Mathias Elias, who arrived in America in 1781 3
Elias Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jose Mu jica Elias, aged 13, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1829 3
  • Lorinzo Elias, aged 16, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1829 3
  • Bamaba Elias, aged 46, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1829 3
  • Christian Elias, who landed in New York in 1832 3
  • Heinrich Christian Elias, who landed in America in 1832 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Elias migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Elias Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Aganetha Elias, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875
  • Jacob Elias, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875
  • Jacob E Elias, who landed in Manitoba in 1875
  • Johan Elias, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875
  • Peter Elias, who landed in Manitoba in 1875

Australia Elias migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Elias Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Esther Elias who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Burrell" on 31st December 1831, arriving in New South Wales, she died in 1881 4
  • Nicholas Elias, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Phoebe" in 1847 5

New Zealand Elias migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Elias Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Charlotte Elias, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cashmere" in 1853 6

West Indies Elias migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 7
Elias Settlers in West Indies in the 19th Century
  • Juan Elias, who landed in Dominican Republic in 1828 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Elias (post 1700) +

  • Rosalind Elias (1930-2020), American mezzo-soprano, best known for her work at the Metropolitan Opera
  • Richard Robert Elias (1955-2019), American singer and songwriter based in Nashville
  • Jonathan Elias (b. 1956), American composer, best known for his film soundtracks
  • Peter Elias (1923-2001), American computer scientist
  • Lee Elias (1920-1998), American comics artist
  • Eliane Elias, Brazilian born, now American jazz musician
  • Norbert Elias (1897-1990), German sociologist, famous for his theory of civilizing (and decivilizing) processes
  • Hanin Elias (b. 1972), German musician, former member of Atari Teenage Riot
  • John Elias (1774-1841), Welsh Methodist preacher, born on 6 May 1774 at a 'small tenement' called Brynllwynbach, in the parish of Abererch, four miles east of Pwllheli in Carnarvonshire 8
  • Antonio "Toni" Elías Justícia (b. 1983), Spanish multiple award winning motorcyclist
  • ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Dibo Elias (d. 1912), aged 29, Lebanese Third Class passenger from Unknown who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 9
  • Mr. Joseph Elias Jr. (d. 1912), aged 15, Lebanese Third Class passenger from Kafr Mishki who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 9


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. 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)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/burrell
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PHOEBE 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Phoebe.htm
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  8. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
  9. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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