Show ContentsElia History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Elia family

The surname Elia was first found in West Lothian where they held a family seat from very ancient times, when Helias son of Huctred was granted the lands of Dundas by Waldef, son of Earl Gospatrick, King of Northumberland in 1180.

Early History of the Elia family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Elia research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1178, 1214 and 1300 are included under the topic Early Elia History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Elia Spelling Variations

The name, Elia, occurred in many references, and from time to time, it was spelt Helias, Elyas, Elias and others.

Early Notables of the Elia family

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

Elia Ranking

In the United States, the name Elia is the 12,850th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Elia migration to the United States +

The New World beckoned settlers from the Scottish-English borders. They sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. Some called them, less romantically, the "coffin ships." Among the early settlers bearing the Elia surname who came to North America were:

Elia Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Cath Elia, aged 60, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1875 2
  • Jacob Elia, aged 22, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1875 2
  • Marguerite Elia, aged 19, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1875 2
  • Peter Elia, aged 17, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1875 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Elia (post 1700) +

  • Eugenio Elia Levi (1883-1917), Italian mathematician
  • Elia Alessandrini (1997-2022), Swiss professional footballer who played as a centre-back; he died from drowning while on vacation
  • Elia Petrelli (b. 2001), Italian footballer who plays as a forward for Italian club Juventus U23
  • Elia H. Christensen, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1988
  • Elia Marinucci, American animator, known for his work on Der Plattenspieler (2010), The Dreadful Dead (1998) and Bloodsucking Killerclowns from Outer Space (1999)
  • Elia Wilkinson Peattie (1862-1935), American author, journalist and critic
  • Elia Ivonne Fuentes, American dentist and art gallery owner
  • Elia Pirozzi, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from California 42nd District, 1998, 2000 3


The Elia Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Non quo sed quomodo
Motto Translation: Not by whom, but by what means.


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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