Elzinga is a Dutch surname primarily originating from the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. Its earliest form likely derived from a place name associated with the phrase "house of Elso/Elze." In 1811, under Napoleon's administration, Dutch citizens were required to adopt fixed surnames. Many families who had previously used patronymics—system where children bore their father's first name plus a suffix like -s, -sen, or -zoon — chose Elzinga as their permanent family name. Although the placename origin suggests "home of Elso's people," another interpretation links Elzinga to the trade of shoemaking. The Dutch word els, meaning "awl" (a sharp tool used by shoemakers) turned the name into a metonymic occupational surname. Variant cognate forms include Elsinga and Elzenga.
Sources: Wikipedia — Elzinga