An English patronymic surname, from given names from Elis, the Middle English form of Elijah.
"My neighbor Mr. Ellis traces his family name back to the ancient region of Elis rather than the biblical prophet Elijah."
As an English surname, Ellis derives from the Middle English name Elis, which is a variant of Elias and related to Elijah. Alternatively, it may originate as a shortened form of Elizabeth or come from the Welsh Elisedd, meaning "kind" or "benevolent."