Elliff Family History

English: variant of Ayliffe from one of three Middle English personal names of Scandinavian origin Ailef, Ailif, and Ailof. Old Danish, Old Swedish Elif (Old Norse Eilifr apparently from ei ‘ever’ + lifthr ‘alive, lively’) and Elef (Old Norse Eileifr with leifr ‘remainder’) gave rise to Ayliff(e), Aliffe, and Eliff.

Old Danish, Old Swedish Elaf gave rise to Ayloff, but the names were probably confused with each other. Alternatively, Ayliffe may also arise from the Middle English female personal name Aileve, Old English Æthelgifu.

This female name was borne by a daughter of King Alfred the Great who became abbess of Shaftesbury.