... dates back to the Vikings. It was originally the same as the cubit: the length of a man's upper arm, from the elbow to the tip of the little finger. This is approximately 18 inches, or 45 centimetres. (The word 'elbow' means the bend of the arm; 'ell' is another word for the arm, and 'bow' is another word for a bend.)
In English–speaking countries, the ell was first used by importers of Flemish cloth. There were several variations: the Flemish ell was ¾ of a yard, the English ell was 1¼ yards, and the French ell was 1½ yards. (These are thought to derive from a 'double ell'.) The Scottish ell was 37 inches.
The ell was used in the tailoring business up until the 19th century, but is now obsolete.
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