The Eley surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,848 people carried this name — #6,921 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 61,000 people counted. That is up 4% from 4,675 in 2000.

See Eley on the map Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Eley surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Elie’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Nicholas de Ely, bailiff of Norwich, 1227 — History of Norfolk (Blomefield and Parkin).

His entry covers Ely and Eley.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 273 · public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 27 people named Eley 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 Tucumán.

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

Where they live today

Tucumán 27

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

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Eley was found among the farmers of Derbyshire: 9 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Derbyshire 9

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In print

Eley in American newspapers,
1907–1920.

Newspaper page from Evening Times-republican carrying the name Eley
Evening Times-republican 1920-08-12
Newspaper page from The Birmingham Age-herald carrying the name Eley
The Birmingham Age-herald 1907-06-06
Newspaper page from The Montgomery Advertiser carrying the name Eley
The Montgomery Advertiser 1907-06-06

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 30,830 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Eley in Australian newspapers,
1840s–2000s.

9,115 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Eley. The most, 1,764, date from the 1910s. South Australia 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 Tasmania, at 3.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 2,950
New South Wales 2,380
Tasmania 1,608
Victoria 874
Western Australia 687
Queensland 586
ACT (Canberra) 17
Northern Territory 9

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

Who carried it

People named Eley,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William I Eley d. 1824 · goldsmith
  • Charles Eley 1827–1902
  • Richard Cannon Eley 1901–
  • Maxwell Eley 1902–1983 · rower
  • Maxwell Eley 1902–1983 · rower
  • Geoffrey Eley 1904–1990 · chairperson

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Eley,
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 States337 records

337 records of the Eley name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 168
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 70
  • Other U.S. records 99
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Bossie Eley

    Born 1920 in Virginia. Enlisted 1942 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; warehouseman. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at Westminster Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Grosser Kurfurst from Cherbourg, aged 40; stoker. From Perth, England; bound for Indiana.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. A U.S. Army record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864
    Example: U.S. burial record, 1864
    Burial record Alexander Eley

    U.S. Army veteran. Born 1889, died 1945; buried at Salisbury National Cemetery, North Carolina.

    U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 337 records for Eley in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864, U.S. National Archives (public domain).

Australia234 records

234 records of the Eley name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 91
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 80
  • Other Australian records 63
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Frederick Eley

    Died 1885 in Campbell Town, Tasmania, aged 65. Will registered in Tasmania in 1885.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Arthur Isaac Eley

    Born 1865 in Longford, Tasmania. Married 1898 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 33.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (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 Thomas Eley

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Champion, arriving 1827.

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

Showing 3 of 234 records for Eley in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

United Kingdom16 records

16 records of the Eley name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 14
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Eley

    Buried in 1794 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 36.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John Eley

    Will proved in 1936; of Mumbles, Swansea.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. C. Eley

    Manchester Regiment. 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 16 records for Eley in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · 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: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Germany16 records

16 records of the Eley 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 Richard Eley

    From Winkel, Apolda. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 1 November 1914 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 82).

    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 Berthold Eley

    From Gerbstedt, Mansfeld. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 6 June 1918.

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

    From Weiberg, Büren. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 27 August 1917.

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

Showing 3 of 16 records for Eley 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).

Canada15 records

15 records of the Eley name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 9
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 3
  • Other Canadian records 3
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Arthur Edward Eley

    Died 1929 in Hantsport, Hants, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Thomas Eley

    Died 1931; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Douglas Raymond Eley

    Died in service in 1944.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 15 records for Eley in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

New Zealand1 record

1 record of the Eley name in New Zealand Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Eley

    Died 1921; buried at Oxford Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France1 record

1 record of the Eley 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 Claude Eley

    Born 1928 in Great Britain; died 1998 in Ceaulmont (Indre).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Eley name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Dorothy May Queen Eley

    Married in 1943 in Dongen.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Eley.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Eley 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.

See the Eley volume
Scroll to Top