Surname Elkington - Meaning and Origin

Elkington: What does the surname Elkington mean?

The surname Elkington is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is derived from a geographical locality, 'of Elkington', villages in Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, England. It is believed to be a compound of an Old English personal name 'Ealhhere', and 'tun' meaning settlement or farm. Thus, it can be roughly interpreted as "Ealhhere's farm" or "farm of Ealhhere". It is also thought that Elkington may have been derived from "Aelfric's Settlement" where 'Aelfric' is an old English personal name. These types of geographical surnames were often given to the lord of the manor, or to those who had moved from their place of origin to another place. Hence, it was a topographic name for someone who lived or worked at such a location or had moved from there to another region. The surname dates back to the early 13th century, further indicating its ancient roots.

Elkington: Where does the name Elkington come from?

The last name Elkington is of Anglo-Saxon origin and it originated from England. It is a habitational name that is derived from Elkington, a place in Northamptonshire. The place name Elkington means "estate associated with a man called Ealhhere". In Old English, "ing" typically refers to "people of" or "dwellers at" and "tun" signifies an enclosure, farmstead, village or estate. The early forms of this name were Alchinton and Elchinton, which was later modified into its modern form.

Today, the distribution of the Elkington surname remains significant in the United Kingdom, with a strong presence in regions such as East Midlands, particularly in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. The name is also somewhat common in the United States, Australia, Canada, and South Africa, primarily among those of British descent. However, this surname is fairly rare compared to other Anglo-Saxon derived names, contributing to its uniqueness.

Variations of the surname Elkington

The surname Elkington is of Anglo-Saxon origin and was first found in Lincolnshire, England. Variants of this name include Elkinton, Elkyngton, Elkynston, Ellington, Elington and Kilington.

The spelling may also vary due to regional dialects and phonetic spelling by different branches of the family. It may also be subject to changes over centuries due to changes in pronunciation or due to translation and Anglicisation of names post migration.

The surname's etymology suggests it could have been a locational name given to people from a place named Elkington or similar. This could have potentially led to variations in the last name based on geographical differences or migration.

Not all Elkingtons necessarily share blood ties, as common use of surnames only became a practice in the late Middle Ages. Thus there could be multiple unrelated lineages carrying the same or similar surnames.

Moreover, 'ing' in the middle of English surnames often denotes 'people of' or 'followers of', suggesting the possibility of more surnames having the same root, but currently, there is not sufficient evidence to offer further related surnames.

Famous people with the name Elkington

• Steve Elkington: An Australian professional golfer who has won multiple tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.
• Jack Elkington: Known as part of the musical duo Jack & Jack, who gained fame through the social media platform Vine before releasing music, which has been well received in the pop genre.
• Nick Elkington: A recognized Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
• Ben Elkington: A seasoned British barrister who is an expert in banking and finance law and is recognized for undertaking cases concerning disputes between shareholders.
• John Elkington: A world-renowned British author and business consultant, known for inventing "triple bottom line," a phrase used in business sustainability. He has been recognized as a leading authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development.
• George Elkington: The man who contributed significantly to the industrial revolution through inventing and patenting a method to electroplate one metal onto the surface of another. He founded Elkington & Co, specializing in silverware and electroplating in the 19th century.
• Randle Elkington: An Olympian from Great Britain, who competed in rowing in the 1924 Summer Olympics.

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