Surname Els - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'E'
Els: What does the surname Els mean?
The last name Els is German in origin. It is derived from the German word "el", which can be translated to mean “the”. The name itself is believed to have been initially used as a toponymic name, to denote someone who came from a place known as “El”, or “The Els”.
People bearing the Els surname have been present in Germany since ancient times. It is likely that the Els family can trace its roots back to the Germanic tribes who had settled in what is now the region of Bavaria before the Roman invasion.
The name appears to be confined almost exclusively to Germany, although a number of immigrants bearing the Els name have since settled in the United States and other areas. There is also a village in the Westerwald Hills of Germany known as Elsetal, although research into the link between Elsetal and the Els surname has not been particularly clear.
Today, the Els surname is quite common in Germany and also Europe more generally. It is also likely to be found in some other areas, due to the migration of German immigrants who bore the Els family name.
Order DNA origin analysisEls: Where does the name Els come from?
The last name Els is a common surname in several European countries, particularly in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. It is also found to a lesser extent in Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, and the Czech Republic.
In the Netherlands, the surname is most commonly found in the province of Zeeland, located in the southwest of the country. Other areas where it is common are the provinces of Zuid-Holland, Organ, and Noord-Brabant. In Belgium, the surname is most commonly found in the Flemish region of the country.
The origin of the last name is Dutch. It first came into use in the Middle Ages, and it was used as a reference to someone who was tall and thin, or sometimes someone who lived near an elevated area or a large pond. In the early days, it was often found as Ela, and it later developed to Els and eles.
The Els surname is still quite widely used today, although it is largely not as common as it once was. It has also been adopted as a first name, and it is often seen given to girls. According to German records, in 2019, the last name Els was the 61st most common surname in Germany.
Variations of the surname Els
The surname Els is a patronymic, meaning it passes from the father's given name to the child. It is derived from the given name 'El' or 'Eli'. The spelling has varied, with 'Els' being the most common, but also occurring in the forms 'Elz', 'Else', 'Elsje', and 'Elzje'.
Variants of the surname include Ellis, Elliss, Ellison, Elison, Ellists, Ellys, Elsmore, and Elswood. Additionally, Els can simply be an abbreviation of the given name 'Ellis'.
The patronymic form is most common in German surname, although variants can be found in Dutch and Afrikaner families. German variants include Ellern, Ellef, Ellen, Eller, Ellermann, Ellert, Ellspermann, Elsner, Helfer, and Helfers.
Depending on the usage and context of the surname, there are also Scandinavian and English forms. Scandinavian forms include Elle, Ellef, Ellefsen, Ellesen, Ellingsen, Ellsen, and Elsen. English variants include Elles, Ellwood, Elliston, Ellingsworth, Ellins, and Elliott.
Overall, there are quite a few variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Els. These variations cover German, Dutch, Afrikaner, Scandinavian, and English areas.
Famous people with the name Els
- Ernie Els: Ernie Els is a South African professional golfer. He won the U.S. Open twice in 1994 and 1997, the Open Championship twice in 2002 and 2012, and the Open de France once in 2003. He also won the Royal Trophy in 2008.
- Nick Els: Nick Els is an Australian professional golfer who won the 2002 PGA Tour of Australasia Rookie of the Year Award.
- Henk Els: Henk Els is a South African professional rugby player who is known for representing the Springboks, South Africa’s national team.
- Joost van der Els: Joost van der Els is a professional athlete from the Netherlands who competed in several different sports such as racing, long-distance running, and even ice skating.
- Nicky van der Els: Nicky van der Els is a former Dutch sport shooter who won five Olympic medals in the 80 m running free pistol event during the 1998, 2002, and 2006 games.
- Andrian Els: Andrian Els is an English actor who has appeared in various films and television shows, most notably as Nathan in the BBC series 'The Musketeers'.
- Marjolijn Els: Marjolijn Els is an award-winning Dutch documentary filmmaker. She is best known for her documentary 'De machines' which won the first prize at the Dutch documentary film festival in 2018.
- John Els: John Els is a Canadian actor who has appeared in various television shows such as Murdoch Mysteries, Slings & Arrows, and The Handmaid’s Tale.
- Jurgen Els: Jurgen Els is a Belgian diplomat and politician who was the Ambassador to Greece from 2000 to 2004 and the Ambassador to France from 2004 to 2008.
- Martin Els: Martin Els is a South African poet, writer, and cultural theorist. He is best known for his book 'Politics of Pleasure: Writing South Africa's Cultural History', which was nominated for the C.M. Heyneke Prize in 2010.