Investment in Loans (Schedule of Residential Mortgage Loans) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 1,387,733
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		(150,821)
Amortized Cost			$ 2,970,306
Fair Value	[1]	$ 1,412,426
Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon		4.23%
Weighted Average Yield		4.01%
Weighted average life		5 years 10 months 24 days
Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 911,705
Fair Value		932,203
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		911,705
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		9,354
Amortized Cost		921,059
Gains		13,082
Losses		(1,938)
Fair Value		$ 932,203
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Residential mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon		6.44%
Weighted Average Yield		5.79%
Weighted average life		1 year 10 months 24 days
Non-QM loan securitization | Residential mortgage loans | Consolidated Entities [Member] | Securitized loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Fair Value		$ 628,415

[1] Ellington Financial Inc.'s Consolidated Balance Sheet includes assets and liabilities of variable interest entities it has consolidated. See Note 9 for additional details on Ellington Financial Inc.'s consolidated variable interest entities.