ELLIOTT (ELLIOT) SURNAME HISTORY MY ELLIOTT FAMILY HISTORY: 1779 TO THE PRESENT A very numerous Ulster name, particularly in Antrim, Donegal and parts of Cavan.  It is among the top five names in Fermanagh, where it is of Scots origin, being associated with the Angus region.  There, the River Elliott joins the sea at Abirlot, the mouth of the Elliott.  Along with the clans Armstrong, Johnston, Nixon, Crosier and Knox, Elliott's were a riding clan harrying the borders until ‘pacified' under James I with many finding their way to Ulster.  There are many variant spellings of the name, using more or less l's and t's. An interesting side note is that in the earlier years, the Elliott's were a riding clan  and were known as the "thieves of the border." This was undoubtedly in reference to the border between Scotland and England, and they were known as one of the notorious Border Clans and had formed a loose confederacy with the riding Clan's of Armstrong, Nixon, Crosier and Knox. The "rustling" of sheep and cattle was probably a common occurrence. When Donna and I were in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland, we were told by an interesting (read: character) woman who ran a Bed & Breakfast, who said that if they did come to Ireland from Scotland, "They probably stole the boat..." So, It appears that the name Elliott probably originated in Scotland and became prevalent in and around the neighboring four county areas of Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan and Fermanagh in Ireland, sometime during the 1620-1640 time period. The majority of Elliott's with two "t's" appear to be from the six Counties of current Northern Ireland. Many Elliott's, as well as others, were forced by the English to leave Scotland about 1603, and many went to Northern Ireland. In the mid 1700's, many of the Scotch-Irish left in droves for America and Canada with promises from the British Crown for land. Our family probably emigrated to Northern Ireland, possibly to Donegal, sometime before the 1770's and this leads me to believe that there were at least three generations of our Elliott's that were born in Ireland before emigrating to Canada. It is here in Donegal, Ireland that the earliest recording of an Elliott ancestor can be found, Francis Elliott, born about 1779 in Lynncrest, Ballyshannon, Donegal. It would also seem that many of these Elliott's were Methodists, or Wesleyan Methodists in reference to John Wesley (1703-1791) the founder of Methodism. Many families gave the name Wesley as a first or middle name to many of their children. The next earliest record of our Elliott ancestors in Ireland besides Francis Elliott from Donegal, is that of a John Elliott (probably Sr.) who emigrated from Leitrim, Ireland, possibly sometime between 1838-1841 and emigrated to Ontario, Canada. John Elliott Sr. was born around 1800, probably in Ballyshannon, Donegal. He married Alice McSherry about 1827 in Donegal and Alice is believed to have been born around 1801. The exact date and place of Alice's origin are unknown, although it was most likely in Ireland. Most of the people (the general population) of Ireland at this time were uneducated or had little education, and actual dates of birth and correct spelling of names was not uncommon. Because of this, wide variations can be found and a person's age might be listed as "seventies" or "in his seventies." The Elliott's were farmers from the Province Leitrim in Ireland, and I doubt they brought any money with them as they emigrated just before the great potato famine in Ireland. The best I can remember of stories of the early Elliott's in the U.S.A., was that my grandfather, George W. Elliott and my grandmother, Alice Maud Beamish traveled a great deal before settling down in Los Angeles, California in the 1920's. My father, Lorne W. Elliott, and my Aunt, Edythe Elliott traveled with them during this time. My grandfather was a jeweler, watchmaker and salesman, and was active in the Masonic Lodge. I believe he had owned or operated several jewelry stores in Canada and I have photos of one store in Medicine Hat, Alberta. They apparently moved or emigrated to the USA and lived at one time in Youngstown, Ohio where Grandfather George was once again active in a local chapter of the Masons, the Al Aziiar Temple. From Youngstown, Ohio they moved to Miami, Florida where grandfather George had made a significant amount of money manufacturing munitions for U.S. troops during WW1.  A major hurricane during their Miami stay along with a preview of Good Humor's success prompted next move to Houston, Texas.  There, grandfather George started his own ice cream delivery-by-truck business which he eventually sold for a good amount of money which he then intended to invest in a real estate venture after moving the family to California.  They didn't stay in Houston very long as of their dislike of the heat and humidity and wished for cooler weather and sea breezes.  I think a major reason for the move was because of the "very large bugs and insects" that my grandmother abhorred. His first (and last) real estate venture was laying the foundation for Emerald Bay, now one of the most exclusive communities in Laguna Beach, California, and for that matter all of Southern California.  After the streets and utilities went in, the Great Depression hit, wiping out any chance of success.  This poor timing sent grandfather George back to the watch/jewelry business, mainly working out of our home on Colgate Ave. as well as working with other local watchmakers and jewelers in the Los Angeles area.   Robert L. Elliott