Ancient history

What is the ethnic origin of surname Elias?

Elias is a surname with several different ethnic origins.

1. Hebrew: Elias is a variant of the name Elijah, which is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu. It means "Yahweh is my God" or "the strength of Yahweh."

2. Greek: Elias is also a Greek name, derived from the Greek word helios, which means "sun."

3. Arabic: In Arabic, Elias is derived from the name Ilyas, which is the Arabic form of the Hebrew name Elijah.

4. Jewish: Elias is a common surname among Jews of Sephardic origin, who are descendants of Jews who were expelled from Spain and Portugal in the 15th century.

The surname Elias is found in many different countries around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.