The Ellis Arts Academy, an elementary school within the Rockford School District, is named after him. There has been a public elementary school building named after Ellis since the first one named for him in 1868 and that first Ellis School building still exists, formerly the nucleus of the (St Thomas) Bishop Muldoon Catholic High School and now part of the west side location of the Crusader's Clinic healthcare organization. The area around the school is commonly known informally as Ellis Park. Also Ellis Street in San Francisco, California, is also named for Ellis as well as one in the city of Rockford.