Show ContentsEllkington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Ellkington is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Ellkington family lived in Lincolnshire, at the Manor of Elkington, near Louth.

Early Origins of the Ellkington family

The surname Ellkington was first found in Lincolnshire at either North Elkington or South Elkington, parishes in the union of Louth, Wold division of the hundred of Louth-Eske. Both parishes were originally one and were recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Alchinton. 1 Hence the name is conjecturally descended from William de Percy who held his lands from Ivo Tailbois, a tenant in chief. At that time the village of Elkington (Alchinton) consisted of one church, one chapel, a mill and a mill site. Elkington is also a deserted medieval village and civil parish in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire. Listed in 1377 as having 30 households, by 1412 there was none.

Early History of the Ellkington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ellkington research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1600 is included under the topic Early Ellkington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ellkington Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Ellkington are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Ellkington include Elkinton, Alkington, Elchington and others.

Early Notables of the Ellkington family

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

Migration of the Ellkington family

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Ellkington, or a variant listed above: William Elkinton, who settled in Virginia in 1637; Thomas Elkington, a bonded passenger who arrived in America in 1736; George Elkington, who was on record in New Jersey in 1738.



  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)


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