Show ContentsEllerbe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Ellerbe family

The surname Ellerbe was first found in the East Riding of Yorkshire at Ellerby, a civil parish that dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Elwordebi at that time. [1] The name literally meant "farmstead or village of a man called Aelfweard" from the Old English personal name + the Scandinavian word "by." [2] Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Ellerby, held, according to the men of Holderness, by William Malet, a Norman Baron, Viscount of Arques, who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. The site now is moated and is called Old Ellerby, near Wood Hall. New Ellerby is a hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Together with Old Ellerby it forms the civil parish of Ellerby. Allerby is a hamlet in Cumbria, England and there is a village and civil parish in the Scarborough district of North Yorkshire named Ellerby. Ellerbeck is a small village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire that dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Elrebec. [1]

Early History of the Ellerbe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ellerbe research. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1385 and 1410 are included under the topic Early Ellerbe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ellerbe Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Ellerbe include Ellerby, Ellarby, Ellerbie, Ellerbe, Ellarbie, Ellaby, Elleby, Ellebie, Ellabie, Elerbee, Elerby, Elerbie, Elarby, Elarbie, Elarbee, Allerby and many more.

Early Notables of the Ellerbe family

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

Ellerbe Ranking

In the United States, the name Ellerbe is the 11,885th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [3]


United States Ellerbe migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Ellerbes to arrive on North American shores:

Ellerbe Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mrs. Ellerbe, who landed in America, in 1906
  • John C. Ellerbe, aged 3, who landed in America, in 1909
  • Nellie B. Ellerbe, aged 29, who landed in America, in 1909
  • I. Edward Ellerbe, aged 0, who immigrated to the United States, in 1911
  • Mrs. John C. Ellerbe, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States, in 1911
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Ellerbe (post 1700) +

  • Kenneth B. Ellerbe (1960-2022), American firefighter who served as the fire chief of the District of Columbia Fire & EMS Department from 2011 to July 2, 2014
  • Dannell Antonio Ellerbe (b. 1985), American football linebacker for the New Orleans Saints
  • Francis Rogers Ellerbe (1895-1988), American Major League Baseball third baseman
  • William Haselden Ellerbe (1862-1899), American politician, 86th Governor of South Carolina (1897-1899), 25th Comptroller General of South Carolina (1890-1894)
  • Brian Hersholt Ellerbe (b. 1963), American basketball coach
  • Nellie C. Ellerbe, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from South Carolina, 1924 [4]
  • James Edwin Ellerbe (1867-1916), American Democratic Party politician, Member of South Carolina State House of Representatives, 1894-96; U.S. Representative from South Carolina 6th District, 1905-13 [4]
  • Earle Rogers Ellerbe (1888-1971), American Democratic Party politician, Member of South Carolina State Senate from Marion County, 1943-48; Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from South Carolina, 1952 [4]
  • Brigadier-General Ellerbe Winn Carter (1884-1972), American Commanding Officer Artillery 7th Division (1942-1943) [5]


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, November 3) Ellerbe Carter. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Carter/Ellerbe_Winn/USA.html


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