Ellison
Usually a patronymic surname meaning “son of Ellis,” ultimately from a medieval form of Elijah/Elie or a related Christian personal name.
The #809 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 7,209 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Ellison is generally understood as a patronymic built from the personal name Ellis, with the suffix -son meaning “son of.” Ellis itself was a medieval given name used in England, often treated as a vernacular form of Elijah/Elie through Old French and ultimately Hebrew. In some cases the surname may also reflect spelling and pronunciation variants such as Elison, Elisson, or Hellison.
History
The name is well attested in medieval English records, including Yorkshire and other northern English sources. Earlier surname writers noted that spellings varied widely in the 14th century, and some examples may reflect Ellis, Elen, or other similar personal names rather than a single fixed source. The surname later became established across Britain and is now especially familiar in English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A 1379 Yorkshire Poll Tax record shows the spelling Hellison, a reminder of how fluid medieval surname spellings could be.
From the historical record
“Ellis, Esq, ELLISON, See Ellis. ELLMAN", Doubtless the Elmund, Al- mund. iElmund, or ^Eilmundus of Domesd. — a baptismal name. ELLWOOD, See Elwood, EL]\IER. An A-Sax, personal name. An individual so designated was a tenant in chief in co. Hereford, temp. Domesd. The same as Aylmer.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom