In an early variant of the story, Ingwe is indeed given the title of the first elf:
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Originally Posted by Of the valian tongues and its descendants, HoME V
On the march to the West the Lindar went first, and the chief house among them was the house of Ingwe, high-king of the Eldalie, and the oldest of all Elves, for he first awoke.
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...although later the name of the first elf is given as Imin - in the legend of the awakening of the elves, Quendi and Eldar, HoME XI.