Surname Ely - Meaning and Origin

Tracing the Ely Lineage: A Riveting Journey Through My Ancestry with iGENEA DNA Analysis

Embarking on a journey to trace the roots and lineage of my family name Ely with iGENEA DNA analysis, I was illuminated by my Anglo-Saxon roots, an ancient association with eel trade, ecclesiastical and academic power, and deep-seated ties with multiple European cultures that shaped my identity over centuries.

O. Ely

Ely: What does the surname Ely mean?

The last name Ely is of English origin and derives from the Old English pre 7th Century word "eel" and "ge", which means island. Therefore, it is a topographic surname referring to someone who lived on an island or a low-lying area such as a river or marsh. It was also used as a locational surname for individuals from places called Ely in Cambridgeshire and Essex or from the lesser-known Eely in Northamptonshire. The place name in Cambridgeshire is believed to mean 'district where eels were caught,' whereas Ely in Essex might be 'hillock,' and Eely could be 'wild-boar island/ridge'. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation, and the usage of surnames throughout Europe is most commonly attributed to this trend.

Ely: Where does the name Ely come from?

The last name Ely is derived from Old English origins and is classified as locational. It initially referred to individuals who hailed from the city of Ely in Cambridgeshire, England. The name of the city region derived from the Old English word "Eilig," which means district of eels, referencing the city’s location in marshland abundant with eels.

In the medieval period, it was common practice to adopt a surname derived from a place of origin for identification purposes after migrating to a new area, hence the surname Ely.

Today, Ely is the most common in the United States, followed by England and Australia. In the United States, the last name is most prevalent in California, followed by Texas and Florida. Despite its English origin, Ely is not particularly widespread in England today but can be found in varying numbers around the country. In Australia, the name is mostly concentrated in New South Wales. Besides, minor concentration of people with this surname can also be found in Canada, Brazil, and the Philippines.

Variations of the surname Ely

The surname Ely can have more than one origin. It could have been derived from a topographic name indicative of someone who lived near an elm tree or in the town named Ely in England. Some believe that it may have been connected to the Hebrew name Eli, meaning "my God".

Due to this, the name Ely has a variety of possible variants and related surnames. Spelling variants may include Elly, Eley, Ele, Illy, Elie, Elye, Elia, and Iley. Other surnames with a potential shared origin could be Elms, Elm, Ellyson, Elson, Illyson or Ilson.

It is also important to note that over time and due to emigration and regional accents, original surnames often change. The surname spelling can be changed to be phonetic, which in turn produced various forms of the original surname. Similarly, the surname Ely could have variants in different geographical regions owing to local accents, cultural integration, and language adaptations. Some forms of Ely in other languages include Elie in French and Elia in Italian.

As with any surname, definitive origins and variants can best be determined through genealogical research into specific family lines.

Famous people with the name Ely

• Ron Ely: An American actor and novelist known for his role as Tarzan in the 1966 NBC series Tarzan.
• Melvin Van Peebles: An African-American actor, filmmaker, playwright, and author, who used the pseudonym "Melvin Ely" for some of his early work.
• Joe Ely: An American singer-songwriter and guitarist whose genre spans rock, country, and Tex-Mex. He was a member of the band The Flatlanders.
• Richard T. Ely: A noted American economist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known for his contributions to economic reforms.
• Eugene Burton Ely: An aviation pioneer, credited with the first shipboard aircraft take off and landing in 1911.
• David Ely: An American author best known for his science fiction and suspense novels.
• John Ely: An American professional baseball pitcher who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• Jason Ely: A professional football player who played for the San Francisco 49ers.
• Evelyn Ely: A noted 20th-century American abstract expressionism painter.
• Bob Ely: An English footballer who played as a forward for various clubs in the 1950s and 1960s.
• Samantha Ely: An Australian rules footballer who played for the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the AFL Women's competition.

Other surnames

Elye