This is an English medieval locational surname. It derives from an ancient village called "Elmore" in the royal county of Gloucestershire, the home of the Prince of Wales. "Elmore", the village, is recorded in the Pipe Rolls for the county as early as the year1176, in the spelling of "Elmour" and in the Pipe Rolls of 1195, and the Charter Rolls of 1227 as "Elmoure". However spelt the village name and the later surname, derive from the Old English pre 7th century word "elm", for the elm tree, and "ofer", a river bank, thus " the bank where elms grew". Amongst the early church register recordings in Gloucestershire, is the marriage of Katherin Elmer and Thomas Goslinge on August 19th 1577 at the village of Charlton Kings, and on October 27th 1589 the wedding of William Elmore and Alicia Collins at the village of Minchinhampton. Other later recordings include the christening of Lawes Elmer, on March 22nd 1625, at the village of Bitton, and that of Robert Elmore at Quinton, on December 15th 1779. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Henry Ailmer, which was dated 1208, in the "Curia Rolls" of the county of Berkshire. This was during the reign of King John of England, known by the nickname of "Lackland", 1199 - 1216.

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