The Elder surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 29,796 people carried this name — #1,186 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 9,900 people counted. That is up 4% from 28,783 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Elder surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the elder’.

An early record he cites: Ricardus ye Elder, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 268 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 16 births for the Elder name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 700 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 2 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “7 in Antrim and 4 in Londonderry.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 11
Leinster 5

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 37 people named Elder live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 24
Santa Fe 13

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Scotland’s registers today

Elder was recorded 70 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 380th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 93. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

92 families named Elder, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 524 people lived in those households, 5.7 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 39
Maryland 18
South Carolina 11
Maine 10
Massachusetts 7
North Carolina 4
New York 3

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 239 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Elder in American newspapers,
1901–1912.

Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name Elder
Daily Kennebec Journal 1901-05-11
Newspaper page from Tensas Gazette carrying the name Elder
Tensas Gazette 1912-09-20
Newspaper page from The Portland Daily Press carrying the name Elder
The Portland Daily Press 1901-05-11

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 6,853 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Elder in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

48,631 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Elder. The most, 7,122, date from the 1920s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 16,302
New South Wales 12,113
South Australia 9,477
Queensland 6,055
Western Australia 3,245
Tasmania 1,214
ACT (Canberra) 122
Northern Territory 25

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Elder.

Who carried it

People named Elder,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Daniel Dulany the Elder
    Daniel Dulany the Elder 1685–1753 · lawyer
  • John Dyer Elder d. 1987 · mathematician
  • Kathleen Montresor Elder d. 1963 · botanist
  • James Elder 1772–1836 · missionary
  • David Elder 1784–1866 · engineer
  • David Elder 1784–1866 · engineer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Elder,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,253 records

2,253 records of the Elder name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 981
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 405
  • Other U.S. records 867
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Eugene Elder

    Born 1948; from New York, New York. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1969 in Bien Hoa, South Vietnam. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Wendell L. Elder

    Born 1918 in Pennsylvania. Enlisted 1944 at Camden, New Jersey; welder from Camden County, New Jersey. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1960, buried at Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record August Elder

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Gellert from Hamburg and Havre, aged 52; joiner. From New York, Wurtemberg, Germany; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 2,253 records for Elder in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,208 records

1,208 records of the Elder name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 735
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 252
  • Other Australian records 221
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record James Elder

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1844. Married 1844 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 33.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Henry G. Elder

    Arrived in Victoria in 1889 aboard the Orizaba, aged 18; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Gersham Elder

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Bengal Merchant, arriving 1835; ticket of leave 1841.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 1,208 records for Elder in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Canada100 records

100 records of the Elder name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 34
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 21
  • Other Canadian records 45
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record R.b Elder

    Came to Ontario in 1880 aboard the Grecian, landing at Quebec, bound for Ingersoll, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Hope Antonett Elder

    Buried in 1979 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 21.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record James Elder

    Died 1964, aged 86; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 100 records for Elder in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom66 records

66 records of the Elder name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 23
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 18
  • Other British records 25
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record William Elder

    Born 1881 at Forres; cashier. Died 1918. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918 (Royal Garrison Artillery).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain); National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record William Elder

    Born 1898 at Nairn; sailor. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Elder

    Buried in 1946 at Valley Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 76.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 66 records for Elder in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands45 records

45 records of the Elder name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 21
  • Dutch population registers 20
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 4
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Suzanna Elder

    Married in 1821 in Zierikzee; maidservant.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jacques Elder

    Married in 1607 in Delft; soldier.

    Open Archives, Archief Delft (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jan Elder

    Married in 1680 in Rotterdam; born in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 45 records for Elder in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

New Zealand18 records

18 records of the Elder name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 12
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 4
  • Other New Zealand records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Albert George Elder

    Died 1926, aged 26; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Robert Elder

    Died 1930, aged 44; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record N. Elder

    New Zealand Machine Gun Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 18 records for Elder in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Germany4 records

4 records of the Elder name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Emil Elder

    From Mühlseifen, Löwenberg. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 4 November 1914 (Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 7).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Friedrich Elder

    From Frankfurt-Oberrad. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 11 December 1915 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 223).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Elder in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

France2 records

2 records of the Elder name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Philippe Luc Elder

    Born 1961 in Toulon (Var); died 1986 in Andrézieux-Bouthéon (Loire).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Elder in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Elder.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Elder is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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